Hawaiian sea-moth fish (Eurypegasus papilio)

Scientific name: Eurypegasus papilio Gilbert, 1905

Hawaiian sea-moth fish (Eurypegasus papilio)

The Hawaiian sea-moth fish (Eurypegasus papilio) is a marine fish of the family Pegasidae. Native range: Eastern Central Pacific, known only from the Hawaiian Islands.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 5; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 5; Vertebrae: 19. Body color olivaceous to yellow olive dorsally and laterally; whitish ventrally; 3 indistinct, double bands of light red on carapace and tail. Species with 3 pairs of dorsolateral body plates; 4 pairs of ventrolateral body plates; a pair of deep pits on dorsal surface of head; 8 (rarely 9) mobile tail rings; concave suborbital shelf, eyes visible in ventral view. Dorsal and ventral ridges of rostrum almost equally expanded with laterally directed denticles. Medial spine on dorsal surface of last tail ring posteriorly directed.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Eurypegasus papilio
Family
Pegasidae (Seamoths)
Order
Gasterosteiformes (Sticklebacks and Seamoths)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
7.6
Depth range
80–291 m (262–955 ft)
Environment
Marine; demersal; depth range 80 - 291 m, usually 80 - 115 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Eastern Central Pacific: known only from the Hawaiian Islands.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Data deficient (DD)
Threat to humans
Harmless

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated