Wednesday, September 13, 2006

The medium sized red spotty one

This is Cephalopholis miniata, a grouper from the indo-pacific often called the coral trout or coral hind. Unfortunately its also known as coral cod, coral grouper, bluespotted rock cod, liglig, rero, red rock perch, and, erm, 青星九棘鱸 and ചെന് ചേരചാമ്മാം . In fact to save me typing a list of common names can be found here.

coral trout


My point is simply that common names don't work well for fish - there are too many fish, in too many places with too many languages so scientific names work for fish in a way that is more important perhaps than knowing them for birds or mammals. Whatever you care to call it, this grouper is a gorgeous fish.

coral trout

We most often see them on the coral walls of the red sea or indo-pacific. Apparently 80% of its diet consists of a small fish, pseudanthias squamipinnis, commonly called anthias or goldies. These small fish are everywhere and so all the mid-sized reef predators feast upon them - sometimes working together, sometimes fiercely protecting their own "herd" of anthias. This chap however just wanted to be left in his hole to chill out, take a siesta or perhaps digest lunch.

By the way, blue water filters out red first so whilst he may look garish to us when properly lit with my strobes to fish whose eyes have evolved in the blue deep he probably looks (or rather doesn't look - you know what I mean) quite stealthy.

2 comments:

Pam in Tucson said...

I could have sworn I commented on this a couple of days ago. Oh well ... Blogger ... Anyway, it's one awesome looking fish. I love the fantasy worlds you bring us.

tai haku said...

I've had comment issues too Pam - I think its something to do with the switch to beta. I appreciate you taking the time to retype - I really like these groupers; big ones get smart like dogs.