SIPHAMIA TUBIFER - (WEBER, 1909)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Kurtiformes (Order) > Apogonidae (Family) > Apogoninae (Subfamily) > Siphamia (Genus)
Two-spot Urchin Cardinalfish, Sea urchin cardinalfish, Tubifer cardinalfish, Urchin cardinalfish, Hikari-ishimochi, ヒカリイシモチ, 大面侧仔, 變色管天竺鯛,
Synonymes
Amia versicolor (Smith & Radcliffe, 1911)
Beanea trivittata (Steindachner, 1902)
Siphamia cuprea (Lachner, 1953)
Siphamia ovalis (Lachner, 1953)
Siphamia permutata (Klausewitz, 1966)
Siphamia versicolor (Smith & Radcliffe, 1911)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): I, 9; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 8. Pectoral fin rays: 14-16; Tubed lateral-line scales: 20-24; Median predorsal scales: 4 (rarely: 3 or 5); Total gill rakers: 2-4 + 8-10 = 11-14; Developed gill rakers 1 + 7-9; Gill rakers on ceratobranchial: 7-8; Body depth: 2.3-2.7 in SL and body width: 1.9-2.2 in the depth; Eye diameter: 2.6-3.5 in HL; First dorsal spine: 2.4-4.6 in second spine; Second dorsal spine: 3.7-6.6, second dorsal fin spine: 3.7-5.4, second anal spine: 5.0-7.0, all in Head Length; Pectoral-fin length: 4.2-5.3 and pelvic-fin length: 4.2-4.7 in SL; Caudal peduncle length: 1.5-2.1 in distance between pelvic spine insertion and anal-fin origin; Preopercular edge with: 23-35 serrations, the preopercular ridge smooth; Scales mostly spinoid, but some cycloid scales on anterior part of body;Vomer and palatines with 1-2 series of small teeth, but palatines sometimes toothless; Tip of light organ on each side of tongue bound by membrane. Max length: 7.0 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 100 m, usually: 1 - 18 m.
Color
After long preservation in alcohol: Dark brown, sprinkled with blackish chromatophores, darkest around dorsal bases. A few small, photophore-like blue spangles on myomeres of back or below soft dorsal base. Three faint, coppery lateral bands; The median one, just behind the head, is about equal in depth to the silvery band above it. Peritoneal tubes silvery, cross-hatched by crescentic or wavy black lines. Fins mostly plain whitish but rays and spines brown basally or brown spotted as is also the membrane to some extent. Caudal root generally dusky or with two dark spots. Base of ventrals blackish. Snout and chin with scattered brown spots.
Etymology
Siphamia: from Ancient Greek, síphōn = pipe, tube, siphon + from Greek, amia, -as = a kind of bonito. Name given by Aristotle to a fish (Later name applied to Apogon by Gronow (1763), now a commonly used suffix in the family). Referring to silvery dusky tubiform gland of Siphamia tubifer (Weber, 1909), running from beneath tongue, along lower sides of body, past vent, almost to caudal-fin base (later discovered to be bioluminescent).
tubifer: from Latin, tubus = tube, pipe + from Latin, fero = to bear, to carry. Referring to tube-like prolongation of body cavity continued at both side along lower part of body and caudal peduncle to base of tail (later discovered to be bioluminescent).
Original description: Siphamia tubifer Weber, 1909 - Type locality: northeastern point of Timor, Timor Island, southern Malay Archipelago, depth 27-55 meters.
Distribution
Two-spot Urchin Cardinalfish, Sea urchin cardinalfish, Tubifer cardinalfish, Urchin cardinalfish, Hikari-ishimochi, ヒカリイシモチ, 大面侧仔, 變色管天竺鯛,
Synonymes
Amia versicolor (Smith & Radcliffe, 1911)
Beanea trivittata (Steindachner, 1902)
Siphamia cuprea (Lachner, 1953)
Siphamia ovalis (Lachner, 1953)
Siphamia permutata (Klausewitz, 1966)
Siphamia versicolor (Smith & Radcliffe, 1911)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): I, 9; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 8. Pectoral fin rays: 14-16; Tubed lateral-line scales: 20-24; Median predorsal scales: 4 (rarely: 3 or 5); Total gill rakers: 2-4 + 8-10 = 11-14; Developed gill rakers 1 + 7-9; Gill rakers on ceratobranchial: 7-8; Body depth: 2.3-2.7 in SL and body width: 1.9-2.2 in the depth; Eye diameter: 2.6-3.5 in HL; First dorsal spine: 2.4-4.6 in second spine; Second dorsal spine: 3.7-6.6, second dorsal fin spine: 3.7-5.4, second anal spine: 5.0-7.0, all in Head Length; Pectoral-fin length: 4.2-5.3 and pelvic-fin length: 4.2-4.7 in SL; Caudal peduncle length: 1.5-2.1 in distance between pelvic spine insertion and anal-fin origin; Preopercular edge with: 23-35 serrations, the preopercular ridge smooth; Scales mostly spinoid, but some cycloid scales on anterior part of body;Vomer and palatines with 1-2 series of small teeth, but palatines sometimes toothless; Tip of light organ on each side of tongue bound by membrane. Max length: 7.0 cm TL. Depth range: 0 - 100 m, usually: 1 - 18 m.
Color
After long preservation in alcohol: Dark brown, sprinkled with blackish chromatophores, darkest around dorsal bases. A few small, photophore-like blue spangles on myomeres of back or below soft dorsal base. Three faint, coppery lateral bands; The median one, just behind the head, is about equal in depth to the silvery band above it. Peritoneal tubes silvery, cross-hatched by crescentic or wavy black lines. Fins mostly plain whitish but rays and spines brown basally or brown spotted as is also the membrane to some extent. Caudal root generally dusky or with two dark spots. Base of ventrals blackish. Snout and chin with scattered brown spots.
Etymology
Siphamia: from Ancient Greek, síphōn = pipe, tube, siphon + from Greek, amia, -as = a kind of bonito. Name given by Aristotle to a fish (Later name applied to Apogon by Gronow (1763), now a commonly used suffix in the family). Referring to silvery dusky tubiform gland of Siphamia tubifer (Weber, 1909), running from beneath tongue, along lower sides of body, past vent, almost to caudal-fin base (later discovered to be bioluminescent).
tubifer: from Latin, tubus = tube, pipe + from Latin, fero = to bear, to carry. Referring to tube-like prolongation of body cavity continued at both side along lower part of body and caudal peduncle to base of tail (later discovered to be bioluminescent).
Original description: Siphamia tubifer Weber, 1909 - Type locality: northeastern point of Timor, Timor Island, southern Malay Archipelago, depth 27-55 meters.
Distribution
Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa and Madagascar east to Philippines and Vanuatu, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to New South Wales (Australia) and New Caledonia.
Biology
Found in coastal reefs and outer reef lagoons. The species is nocturnal, and during the day, shelters in small to large schools amongst the spines of long-spined urchins (e.g. Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778) or Echinothrix calamaris (Pallas, 1774) in shallow sheltered waters). Feeds on zooplanktons and small invertebrates.
Like other cardinalfishes, the Urchin Cardinalfish is a paternal mouth brooder. The male parent orally broods his fertilized clutch of eggs, releasing pre-flexion larvae into the plankton.
The species has an abdominal light organ with symbiotic bioluminescent bacteria that is connected to the intestine by a duct. The light organ develops in larvae after they are released into the plankton and remains free of bacteria for at least seven days following their release. The bacteria in the light organ emit light as an even glow over the ventral surface, enabling the Urchin Cardinalfish to forage at night.
Similar species
Siphamia fuscolineata (Lachner, 1953) - Reported from Central-west Pacific: Marshall Islands and Line Islands. Found among the spines of Acanthaster planci (Linnaeus, 1758).
Biology
Found in coastal reefs and outer reef lagoons. The species is nocturnal, and during the day, shelters in small to large schools amongst the spines of long-spined urchins (e.g. Diadema setosum (Leske, 1778) or Echinothrix calamaris (Pallas, 1774) in shallow sheltered waters). Feeds on zooplanktons and small invertebrates.
Like other cardinalfishes, the Urchin Cardinalfish is a paternal mouth brooder. The male parent orally broods his fertilized clutch of eggs, releasing pre-flexion larvae into the plankton.
The species has an abdominal light organ with symbiotic bioluminescent bacteria that is connected to the intestine by a duct. The light organ develops in larvae after they are released into the plankton and remains free of bacteria for at least seven days following their release. The bacteria in the light organ emit light as an even glow over the ventral surface, enabling the Urchin Cardinalfish to forage at night.
Similar species
Siphamia fuscolineata (Lachner, 1953) - Reported from Central-west Pacific: Marshall Islands and Line Islands. Found among the spines of Acanthaster planci (Linnaeus, 1758).
Siphamia guttulata (Alleyne & Macleay, 1877) - Reported from Australia: Torres Strait, Queensland.