Fistularia tabacaria
Painting by Francis de Laporte de Castelnau, 1856
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Syngnathiformes
Family: Fistulariidae
Genus: Fistularia
Species:
F. tabacaria
Binomial name
Fistularia tabacaria
Synonyms[2]

Fistularia tabacaria, the cornetfish, blue-spotted cornetfish, tobacco trumpetfish or unarmed trumpetfish,[2] is a species of cornetfish found along the Atlantic coasts of the Americas and in the central Atlantic off West Africa and the Macaronesian Islands.[3][1] This species is of minor importance in commercial fisheries.[2]

Description

This species grows to 200 cm (79 in) in total length, though most only reach 120 cm (47 in).[2] The cornetfish is easily mistaken for the needlefish; the defining characteristic that separates the two is the cornetfish's smaller mouth and jaws with an elongated face in comparison to the needlefish's elongated jaw and mouth. The cornetfish is greenish-brown dorsally with overall pale blue spots and lines.

Biology

Fistularia tabacaria is most frequently recorded in and over seagrass beds and coral reefs, although it also occurs over hard, rocky substrates. It is usually a solitary species that is very rarely seen in groups. It feeds mainly on small crustaceans and small fish.[1]

It is an important component in the diet of the Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus).[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Carpenter, K.E.; Robertson, R.; Munroe, T. & Pollom, R. (2015). "Fistularia tabacaria". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T16781124A16782248. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T16781124A16782248.en.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2006). Fistularia" Fistularia" in FishBase. April 2006 version.
  3. ↑ Fritzsche, R.A. 1976. A review of the cornetfishes, genus Fistularia (Fistulariidae) with a discussion of intrageneric relationships and zoogeography. Bulletin of Marine Science 26(2): 196-204.
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