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Ray-finned Fishes of Zihuatanejo

CLASS ACTINOPTERYGII

-Animals (Kingdom Animalia)

-Chordates (Phylum Chordata)

-Vertebrates (Subphylum Vertebrata)

-Ray-finned Fishes (Class Actinopterygii)

-Perch-like Fishes (Order Perciformes)

-Suborder Labroidei

-Wrasses and Parrotfishes (Family Labridae)

-Hogfishes (Genus Bodianus)

-Mexican Hogfish (Bodianus diplotaenia)


The Mexican hogfish is widely distributed throughout the tropical eastern Pacific from the Gulf of California to northern Peru. Commonly seen on rocky reefs. Feeds on crabs, brittle stars, mollusks, and sea urchins.

Diet

  • Bathygobius ramosus is a small carnivorous goby that feeds on mobile benthic prey, particularly small worms, crustaceans and gastropods.

Range

  • The Panamic Frillfin is an eastern Pacific species ranging from Baja California and the Gulf of California southward to northern Peru.

  • It occurs in the Zihuatanejo area.

Habitat

  • It is primarily a shallow-water, bottom-dwelling fish of rocky intertidal shores and tide pools. It also occurs around sandy-bottom pools, rocky bays, estuaries and shallow coastal habitats, generally from the intertidal zone to a few metres depth.

Description

  • The Panamic Frillfin has a robust body, broad depressed head, bluntly rounded snout and large, closely spaced eyes. It reaches about 11.4 cm in the principal eastern Pacific species account, although some sources report larger individuals.

  • Colouration is generally olive-green to brown, with lighter centres to the scales. Dark spots may form a row along the middle of the sides, while diffuse bars or saddles can occur on the back.

  • The lower head has small white spots or ocelli. Three dark blotches occur behind the eye, with the first being the largest. The first dorsal fin is distinctly pigmented, and the caudal and second dorsal fins have wavy brown bands or spots.

Mexican Hogfish (Young Terminal Phase)

Bodianus diplotaenia

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