Common names from other countries
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Tetraodontiformes (Puffers and filefishes) >
Balistidae (Triggerfishes)
Etymology: Melichthys: Greek, melas, melaina, melan, black + icthys yos, fish. On the other hand, in Smith et al.,1986: 878), 'body dark brown to black' in https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/266635#page/902/mode/1up.(P. Romero, pers.comm. 03/2022)..
More on author: Bloch.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecologia
marinhas associadas(os) a recifes; intervalo de profundidade 0 - 75 m (Ref. 9710), usually 0 - 20 m (Ref. 40849). Tropical; 30°N - 29°S, 180°W - 180°E
Circumglobal. Uncommon in most areas but abundant around isolated oceanic islands (Ref. 9710).
Tamanho / Peso / Idade
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 50.0 cm TL macho/indeterminado; (Ref. 5217); common length : 30.0 cm TL macho/indeterminado; (Ref. 3272)
Espinhos dorsais (total) : 3; Raios dorsais (total) : 30 - 34; Espinhos anais: 0; Raios anais : 28 - 30. This species is distinguished by the following characters: a deep groove in front of eye; 20-25 head scale rows from corner of mouth to lower end of gill opening; 57-66 body scale rows from upper end of gill opening to caudal fin base; presence of prominent longitudinal ridges following scale rows of posterior body; slightly rounded to double emarginate caudal fin; a thin white bar neat posterior margin of the caudal fin; black spots on scales forming lines (Ref. 90102).
Inhabit clear seaward reefs. More common around oceanic islands (Ref. 9276). Found on inner and outer reef crests, usually near the slope or drop-off to deeper water, where in small but loose aggregations. Sometimes swim high above substrate feeding on zooplankton (Ref. 48637). May also be solitary (Ref. 90102). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Diet consists primarily of calcareous algae and zooplankton (Ref. 1602); also feed on phytoplankton (Ref. 5213). At Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, southeast Atlantic, groups of about 100 individuals join groups of spinner dolphins to feed on feces and vomits of the cetaceans when they congregate in a shallow bay for rest and social interactions. The postures a dolphin adopts prior to defecating or vomiting are recognized, and the fish begin to converge to the dolphin shortly before the actual voiding. Offal feeding may be regarded as a simple behavioral shift from plankton feeding to drifting offal picking (Ref. 48727). Marketed fresh (Ref. 9770). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
Ciclo de vida ou comportamento de acasalamento
Maturities | Reprodução | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvas
Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).
Matsuura, K., 2001. Balistidae. Triggerfishes. p. 3911-3928. In K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles. FAO, Rome. (Ref. 9770)
Status na Lista Vermelha da UICN (Ref. 130435)
CITES (Ref. 128078)
Not Evaluated
Ameaça para os humanos
Harmless
Uso pelos humanos
Pescarias: pouco comercial; Aquário: Espécies comerciais
Ferramentas
Relatórios especiais
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Fontes da internet
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
115969): 24.4 - 28.9, mean 27.4 (based on 1548 cells).
Índice de diversidade filogenética (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.6250 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.02570 (0.01232 - 0.05364), b=2.94 (2.77 - 3.11), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Nível Trófico (Ref.
69278): 2.4 ±0.0 se; based on diet studies.
Resiliência (Ref.
120179): médio(a), tempo mínimo de duplicação da população 1,4 - 4,4 anos (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (40 of 100).
