Speckled klipfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Speckled klipfish |
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The speckled klipfish (scientific name: Clinus venustris) is a type of fish found in the Atlantic Ocean. It lives in warm, subtropical waters from Namibia all the way to South Africa. You can find this fish in shallow areas near the coast, like tide pools and rocky reefs. It's a small fish, growing up to about 12 centimeters (about 4.7 inches) long. Speckled klipfish mostly eat tiny sea creatures like amphipods, isopods, mysids, and echinoderms.
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What Does It Look Like?
The speckled klipfish has a small, thin body that is a bit flat from side to side. Its head is slightly rounded, with a forehead that slopes down to large, noticeable eyes. There's a flat space between its eyes. The fish has a short snout that can be a bit pointy or rounded. Its mouth opens at an angle and has fairly thick lips.
Above and behind each eye, the fish has a special tentacle. This tentacle is short and flat, with small, simple branches along its sides and end. The cirri (small, fleshy growths) on its front nostrils are flat and shaped like spoons.
Its Unique Fins
The dorsal fin (the fin on its back) of the speckled klipfish is very special. The first spine on this fin is low, but the second and third spines are taller. There is no gap in the skin between the third and fourth dorsal spines. You might also see small groups of 2-3 cirri at the tips of the dorsal spines for about half the length of the fin. The first two rays of its pelvic fins (fins on its belly) are long, but it doesn't have a third pelvic ray. The tail section of its body, called the caudal peduncle, is short.
Amazing Colours and Patterns
Speckled klipfish can have many different colours! Their main body colour is often a light tan. On top of this, they can have patterns in pink, olive green, light or dark brown, reddish, or yellowish shades. Some fish are just one solid colour, like black, yellow, crimson (deep red), or even almost white.
Most speckled klipfish have patterns of vertical bars. These bars are usually offset (not perfectly lined up) along the side of their body. They are often surrounded by small dots that match the colour of the bars. Sometimes, the fish looks very mottled, meaning its pattern is hard to see clearly. Fish from the coast north of Lambert's Bay might be pale tan with brown streaks, speckles, or net-like patterns. You might even see bright orange patches at the base of their dorsal fin, or long, uneven brown bands. Some fish have a bright blue spot with red edges over their first three dorsal spines. Their fins can have red tips, and the anal fin (on the underside) is often completely red. The skin around their gills is pale with tiny black dots, and there's a clear dark line along the edge of their joined gill membranes. Their pectoral fins (side fins) are mostly clear, with rays that match their body colour.
How to Identify It
There are a few key things that help you tell a speckled klipfish apart from other fish. Look for a yellow-edged, dark green or black spot on the first three dorsal spines. There's usually another similar spot further back on the dorsal fin, behind the pectoral fins, and sometimes even a third one.
Their eyes are also very special, with bright green and orange bands that spread out from the center, and a bright yellow iris (the coloured part of the eye). Their face, especially the cheeks, shows two main patterns. The most common pattern has two bands that match the darker colours on their body. The first band is thin and slants down and back from the eye. The second band is a deep "comma" shape, going straight back from the eye and then curving down like a hook. Between these two bands is a pale tan area. The second pattern is more varied and can have spots in the darker body colour, sometimes looking like leopard spots. Some fish even show a mix of both the mottled look and the two bands.
Young speckled klipfish look just like the adults in both colour and shape. They can grow up to 130 millimeters (about 5.1 inches) long.
Where Does It Live?
The speckled klipfish is found only in Southern Africa. It lives along the coast from Lüderitzbucht to Port Alfred. This fish prefers rocky reefs that are underwater, sometimes as deep as 30 meters (about 98 feet). It also lives in tide pools at the bottom of the area between high and low tides. However, it doesn't like sandy areas. People find them more often in tide pools west of Cape Point than in False Bay and areas further east. Divers often see them on reefs that are covered with hydroids (small sea animals) and feather-stars.
Behaviour
Usually, you'll find just one pair of speckled klipfish in a rock pool. They are generally careful but not always shy, and they might let you get close if you move slowly. Younger fish are more easily scared and will quickly swim away, though usually not very far.
What Does It Eat?
The speckled klipfish mainly eats small sea creatures. Its diet includes amphipods, isopods, mysids, and echinoderms (like sea urchins or starfish).
Life Cycle
The speckled klipfish is a viviparous species. This means that the mother fish gives birth to live young, rather than laying eggs.
