Star pearlfish (Carapus mourlani)

Scientific name: Carapus mourlani Petit, 1934

Star pearlfish (Carapus mourlani)

The Star pearlfish (Carapus mourlani) is a marine fish of the family Carapidae. Native range: Indo-Pacific, East Africa to Hawaii, throughout Micronesia and Amami Islands, southern Japan.

Biology

Eel-like, moderate to shallow body depth; cardiform teeth present but restricted to upper jaw symphysis; swim bladder constricted (under vertebrae 9 or 10) forming two chambers; lacking enlarged dentary or premaxillary fangs, dentary diastema, pelvic fins and swim bladder rockerbone. Precaudal vertebrae 15-17. Differs from Encheliophis homei by possessing scattered melanophores over most of the body.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Carapus mourlani
Family
Carapidae (Pearlfishes)
Order
Ophidiiformes (Cusk eels)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
17.0
Depth range
1–150 m (3–492 ft)
Environment
Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 1 - 150 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-Pacific: East Africa to Hawaii, throughout Micronesia and Amami Islands, southern Japan.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: of no interest
Resilience
Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

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

Last updated