CIRRHITUS PINNULATUS - (FORSTER, 1801)
Picture courtesy of: Rémi Bigonneau
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Centrarchiformes (Order) > Cirrhitioidei (Suborder) > Cirrhitidae (Family) > Cirrhitus (Genus)
Épervier de corail, Whitespotted hawkfish, Marbled hawkfish, Stocky hawkfish, White spotted hawkfish, Hard-headed hawk fish, Marmer-valkvis, Isogonbe, イソゴンベ, 短嘴格,
Synonymes
Cirrhites maculosus (Bennett, 1828)
Cirrhites pinnulatus (Forster, 1801)
Cirrhitus alternatus (Gill, 1862)
Cirrhitus maculatus (Lacepède, 1803)
Cirrhitus mossambicus (Smith, 1951)
Labrus marmoratus (Lacepède, 1801)
Labrus pinnulatus (Forster, 1801)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 6; Pectoral fin rays: 14, the lower 7 unbranched and thickened; Lateral line scales: 39-42 (usually: 40); Gill rakers: 6-8 + 12-14 (rarely: 12), total: 18-21; Body robust, the depth: 2.6-3.1 in Standard Length; Snout short and blunt; 4 rows of large scales above lateral line in middle of body; 12 or more irregular rows of small scales on cheek; Posterior margin of preopercle finely serrate; Palatine teeth present; Membranes of spinous portion of dorsal fin incised; A tuft of cirri from membrane near tip of each dorsal spine; Pectoral fins short, not or just reaching a vertical at tips of pelvic rays; Caudal fin slightly rounded. Max. length: 30.0 cm TL, common length: 23.0 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 23 m, usually 1 - 3 m
Color
Body dark olivaceous to dark grey-brown, white ventrally, with three to four irregular longitudinal rows of white blotches varying from pupil size to three-fourths eye size, and numerous dark brown spots, most vertically elongate and pupil size or smaller (spots on some individuals orangish or reddish brown); Small dark spots on snout and suborbital region, those on operculum generally pupil size or larger, some merging to form irregular longitudinal bands; Spinous dorsal fin with two large dark spots on most membranes; Remaining median fins with dark spots mainly on rays, most on basal half of fins.
Etymology
Cirrhitus: from Latin, cirrus = curl, fringe. Referring to lower, simple (unbranched) rays of pectoral fin (which Lacepède called barbels (“barbillons”)) of Cirrhites maculatus (now synonyme of Cirrhitus pinnulatus), and which appeared to Lacepède as a “false” (translation) pectoral fin (many sources indicate that name refers to cirri projecting from tips of dorsal fin spines; this would be a reasonable explanation for the name, one that more accurately describes and distinguishes the taxon, except for the fact that Lacepède did not mention this character).
pinnulatus: from Latin, pinnulata = like a little wing. Referring to fringe of cirri on hind edge of anterior nostril.
Original description: Labrus pinnulatus Forster, 1801 - Type locality: Otahaitee = Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia, South Pacific.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), East Africa (Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya), Comoros, Madagascar and Mascarenes (La Réunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues), east to Hawaiian Islands (U.S.A.) and Pitcairn Group, north to southern Japan, south to Australia, New Caledonia, Kermadec Islands and Rapa (French Polynesia).
Biology
Inhabits reef fronts and rocky shorelines exposed to moderate to strong surge. Benthic. Feeds primarily on crabs, also takes other crustaceans, small fishes, sea urchins or brittle stars. Marketed fresh. Spawning ascents into the water column occurred over a distance of 1.5 - 2.0 m.
Similar species
Cirrhitus spilotoceps (Schultz, 1950) - Reported from Red Sea and northwestern Indian Ocean: Socotra (Xemen), Gulf of Oman.
Cirrhitus pinnulatus subspecies maculosus (Bennett, 1828) - Reported from Hawaii (U.S.A.).
Last update: 5, October 2024
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Centrarchiformes (Order) > Cirrhitioidei (Suborder) > Cirrhitidae (Family) > Cirrhitus (Genus)
Épervier de corail, Whitespotted hawkfish, Marbled hawkfish, Stocky hawkfish, White spotted hawkfish, Hard-headed hawk fish, Marmer-valkvis, Isogonbe, イソゴンベ, 短嘴格,
Synonymes
Cirrhites maculosus (Bennett, 1828)
Cirrhites pinnulatus (Forster, 1801)
Cirrhitus alternatus (Gill, 1862)
Cirrhitus maculatus (Lacepède, 1803)
Cirrhitus mossambicus (Smith, 1951)
Labrus marmoratus (Lacepède, 1801)
Labrus pinnulatus (Forster, 1801)
-------------------------
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 6; Pectoral fin rays: 14, the lower 7 unbranched and thickened; Lateral line scales: 39-42 (usually: 40); Gill rakers: 6-8 + 12-14 (rarely: 12), total: 18-21; Body robust, the depth: 2.6-3.1 in Standard Length; Snout short and blunt; 4 rows of large scales above lateral line in middle of body; 12 or more irregular rows of small scales on cheek; Posterior margin of preopercle finely serrate; Palatine teeth present; Membranes of spinous portion of dorsal fin incised; A tuft of cirri from membrane near tip of each dorsal spine; Pectoral fins short, not or just reaching a vertical at tips of pelvic rays; Caudal fin slightly rounded. Max. length: 30.0 cm TL, common length: 23.0 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 23 m, usually 1 - 3 m
Color
Body dark olivaceous to dark grey-brown, white ventrally, with three to four irregular longitudinal rows of white blotches varying from pupil size to three-fourths eye size, and numerous dark brown spots, most vertically elongate and pupil size or smaller (spots on some individuals orangish or reddish brown); Small dark spots on snout and suborbital region, those on operculum generally pupil size or larger, some merging to form irregular longitudinal bands; Spinous dorsal fin with two large dark spots on most membranes; Remaining median fins with dark spots mainly on rays, most on basal half of fins.
Etymology
Cirrhitus: from Latin, cirrus = curl, fringe. Referring to lower, simple (unbranched) rays of pectoral fin (which Lacepède called barbels (“barbillons”)) of Cirrhites maculatus (now synonyme of Cirrhitus pinnulatus), and which appeared to Lacepède as a “false” (translation) pectoral fin (many sources indicate that name refers to cirri projecting from tips of dorsal fin spines; this would be a reasonable explanation for the name, one that more accurately describes and distinguishes the taxon, except for the fact that Lacepède did not mention this character).
pinnulatus: from Latin, pinnulata = like a little wing. Referring to fringe of cirri on hind edge of anterior nostril.
Original description: Labrus pinnulatus Forster, 1801 - Type locality: Otahaitee = Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia, South Pacific.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (South Africa), East Africa (Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya), Comoros, Madagascar and Mascarenes (La Réunion, Mauritius, Rodrigues), east to Hawaiian Islands (U.S.A.) and Pitcairn Group, north to southern Japan, south to Australia, New Caledonia, Kermadec Islands and Rapa (French Polynesia).
Biology
Inhabits reef fronts and rocky shorelines exposed to moderate to strong surge. Benthic. Feeds primarily on crabs, also takes other crustaceans, small fishes, sea urchins or brittle stars. Marketed fresh. Spawning ascents into the water column occurred over a distance of 1.5 - 2.0 m.
Similar species
Cirrhitus spilotoceps (Schultz, 1950) - Reported from Red Sea and northwestern Indian Ocean: Socotra (Xemen), Gulf of Oman.
Cirrhitus pinnulatus subspecies maculosus (Bennett, 1828) - Reported from Hawaii (U.S.A.).
Last update: 5, October 2024