Pontinus furcirhinus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Pontinus furcirhinus |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Synonyms | |
|
The Pontinus furcirhinus is a cool fish often called the "red scorpionfish." It's a type of ray-finned fish that belongs to the Scorpaenidae family, which are all known as scorpionfishes. You can find this interesting creature swimming in the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean.
Contents
What's in a Name?
This fish got its official name, Pontinus furcirhinus, in 1899. An American zoologist named Samuel Garman was the first to describe it. He found it near the Galápagos Islands.
The name furcirhinus is actually a mix of two words. "Furcatus" means "forked," and "rhinus" means "snout." This name perfectly describes the fish's upper jaw. It looks forked because of the many teeth it has!
What Does the Red Scorpionfish Look Like?
The red scorpionfish has a body that is quite thin and flat from side to side. Its body gets wider as the fish gets older. It has a flat area behind its head, and its eyes are quite large. Some of these fish even have a small, pointed whisker-like growth above their eyes.
Inside its mouth, this fish has teeth on the roof and sides, but not at the very front. Its top fin, called the dorsal fin, has 12 sharp spines. The third spine is extra long! It also has 8 or 9 soft rays. The fin on its underside, the anal fin, has 3 spines and 4 soft rays.
Be careful! The spines on its fins have special tissue that can produce venom. This helps protect the fish from predators.
The red scorpionfish is mostly reddish in color. It can have different shades of red, mixed with white and dark brown or olive spots on its upper body. Its tail fin and the soft part of its dorsal fin are covered in small, dark, oblong spots. These fish usually grow to about 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) long, but some can reach up to 27 centimeters (about 10.5 inches).
Where Does the Red Scorpionfish Live?
You can find the red scorpionfish in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Its home stretches from southern Baja California and the western and southern Gulf of California all the way down to Peru. It has also been seen near Cocos Island, Malpelo Island, and the northern Galápagos Islands.
This type of fish lives deep in the ocean, sometimes as deep as 300 meters (about 984 feet)! It prefers to live on sandy bottoms or other soft areas of the ocean floor.
What Does the Red Scorpionfish Eat?
The red scorpionfish is a hunter! It likes to eat small creatures that live on the ocean floor. Its diet includes crustaceans like crabs and shrimp, cephalopods like squid, and other smaller bony fishes.
These fish are often seen swimming together in large groups, almost like a school of fish.
