Sphyraena helleri

Sphyraena helleri, the Heller's barracuda, is a schooling species of barracuda in the family Sphyraenidae.[1][2][3]

Sphyraena helleri
Sphyraena helleri from French Polynesia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scombriformes
Family: Sphyraenidae
Genus: Sphyraena
Species:
S. helleri
Binomial name
Sphyraena helleri
Jenkins, 1901

Description

Sphyraena helleri can reach a length of 40–80 centimetres (16–31 in). These fishes have six dorsal spines and two anal spines. The skinny bodies are silvery with a horizontal blue stripe and two yellowish stripes on the sides. Caudal fin is darkish.[2][4] They are usually seen by day in large schools, while they hunt nocturnally.[2]

Distribution and habitat

This species is present in the Indian Ocean (East Africa and the Mascarene Islands) and in the Pacific Ocean (north to southern Japan, south to the Coral Sea, and east to French Polynesia; Hawaiian Islands). These fishes inhabit coral reefs and bays.[2]

References
  1. Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 506 p.
  2. Fishbase
  3. Animal Diversity
  4. National Marine Sanctuaries


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.