Priacanthus alalalia

Description

Family Priacanthidae

Tropical and subtropical Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific oceans. Eyes very big, with a brilliant reflective layer (tapetum lucidum). Mouth big and superior (strongly oblique ). Dorsal fin spines usually 10; soft rays 10-15. Three spines in anal fin; soft rays 9-16. Caudal fin slightly emarginate to rounded . Sixteen principal rays in caudal fin (2 unbranched). Inner rays of pelvic fin attached to body by a membrane . Scales very rough with integral spines, usually bright red in color. Epibenthic and generally associated with rock formations or coral reefs; a few species are often trawled in more open areas; usually carnivorous and nocturnal . Eggs , larvae and early juvenile stages are pelagic . Typically less than 30 cm TL , but largest species attains more than 50 cm maximum length . Used as foodfish.The family Priacanthidae belongs to the Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes ) and the Order Perciformes. It contains 4 genera and 18 species. It may be found in Marine environments and is primarily Marine. Members of this family are not used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is subcarangiform. Compared with other fish, the activity level of this family tends to be normal. Members of this family have been dated back to the middle Eocene epoch of the Tertiary period. Etymology of this family name : Greek, prioo = to bit + Greek, akantha = thorn

Taxonomy

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Domain: Eukaryota () - Whittaker & Margulis,1978
- Kingdom: Animalia () - Linnaeus, 1758 - animals
  - Subkingdom: Bilateria () - (Hatschek, 1888) Cavalier-Smith, 1983
    - Branch: Deuterostomia () - Grobben, 1908
      - Infrakingdom: Chordonia () - (Haeckel, 1874) Cavalier-Smith, 1998
        Phylum: Chordata () - Bateson, 1885 - Chordates
        Subphylum: Vertebrata () - Cuvier, 1812 - Vertebrates
        Infraphylum: Gnathostomata () - Auct. - Jawed Vertebrates
        Superclass: Osteichthyes () - Huxley, 1880 - Bony Fishes
        Class: Actinopterygii () - Huxley, 1880 - Ray-Finned Fishes
        Subclass: Actinopterygii () - Ray-Finned Fishes
        Infraclass: Actinopteri ()
        Cohort: Clupeocephala ()
        Superorder: Acanthopterygii ()
        Order: Perciformes () - �
        Suborder: Percoidei () - �
        Family: Priacanthidae () - Bigeyes
        Genus: Priacanthus ()
        Specific name: alalalia
        Scientific name: - Priacanthus alalalia

Similar Species

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Members of the genus Priacanthus

There are approximately 27 species in this genus:

P. alalalia · P. alalaua (Alalaua) · P. arenathus · P. arenatus (Atlantic Big-Eye) · Heteropriacanthus cruentatus · P. bayenus · P. macracanthus · P. blochi · P. blochii (Paeony Bulleye) · Heteropriacanthus cruentatus · Cookeolus japonicus · P. cruentatas · P. cruentatushus · P. fitchi · P. arenatus · P. hamruhr · P. hamrur (Bigeye) · Heteropriacanthus cruentatus · P. macracanthus (Bigeye) · P. macrocanthus · P. meeki (Hawaiian Bigeye) · P. nasca · P. prolixus (Elongate Bulleye) · P. sagittarius (Arrow Bulleye) · P. spa · P. tayenus (Purple Spotted Bigeye) · P. zaiserae

More Info

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Notes

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Contributors

Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed November 17, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from 2 providers.

Data Sources

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 17, 2007:

Royal Ontario Museum, Fish specimens

Identifiers

Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 16454995
Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 2160665