Platax pinnatus
Platax pinnatus, also known as the pinnate spadefish, pinnate batfish, pinnatus batfish, dusky batfish, shaded batfish, or red-faced batfish is a fish from the western Pacific that occasionally is kept in marine aquariums.
| Dusky Batfish | |
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Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1) | |
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| Species: | P. pinnatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Platax pinnatus | |
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Description
As a juvenile it is blackish brown, or black with an orange stripe outlining its entire body. Adults become a dull silver. This fish grows to a maximum size of 45 cm (18 in).
Importance to humans
In the aquarium
The pinnate batfish is occasionally kept in marine aquariums.
In the wild
Platax pinnatus has been observed to significantly reduce algal growths on coral in studies simulating overfishing on the Great Barrier Reef.[1]
References
- Brahic, Catherine (2006-12-18). "Batfish may come to Great Barrier Reef's rescue". New Scientist. Reed Business Information Ltd. Retrieved 2007-04-06.
External links
- Photos of Platax pinnatus on Sealife Collection
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