Holocentrus adscensionis
Squirrelfish
Collection Details
Specimens
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Beryciformes
Holocentridae (Squirrelfishes)
Holocentrus
Holocentrus adscensionis (Squirrelfish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Relatively slender and oblong body shape; strong preopercular spine; continuous dorsal fin with enlarged anterior rayed section; snout acute; upper jaw extends to posterior margin of pupil; jaw teeth in bands narrowing posteriorly; vomer and palatine with well-developed tooth patches; preorbital margin denticulated with large anterior and posterior spines; premaxilla with double denticulate margin and enlarged triangular spine at angle; operculum striated, serrate, with 1 large, flat, triangular spine; head length 31.8% to 36.2% SL; snout length 6.5% to 8.7% SL; eye diameter 10.6% to 14.5% SL; interorbital width 5.2% to 7.1% SL; upper jaw length 13.6% to 15.8% SL; lower jaw length 17.2% to 19.8% SL; body depth 32.9% to 37.2% SL; pectoral fin length 19% to 23.4% SL; pelvic fin length 26.9% to 33.9% SL; pectoral fin with 15 to 17 rays; dorsal fin with 11 spines and 14 to 16 rays; anal fin with 4 spines and 10 rays; scales rectangular with slightly produced and rounded anterior corners; lateral line scales 46 to 51; vertebrae 27
Dull red or pinkish or red-and-white striped or blotched; spinous dorsal fin largely clear with yellowish spots along margin
Distribution
North Carolina and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and the Bahamas
Habitat Associations
Tropical to sub-tropical Atlantic Ocean, from 31 to 91 m
Biology
Maximum known size is 258 mm SL
Occurs in shallow coral reefs, as well as deeper offshore waters (Ref. 3724). A nocturnal species, hiding in deep crevices or under coral ledges during the day; at night it usually moves over sand and grass beds, taking mainly crabs and other small crustaceans (Ref. 3634). Capable of producing sounds (Ref. 6537). Spawning documented as far north as North Carolina in May (Ref. 27549). Marketed fresh (Ref. 3724).
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2013-01-29. Resilience: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Phylogeny and Morphologically Similar Fishes
Distinguished from other species of the family by the combination of characters described
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: public aquariums.
References
Longley and Hildebrand 1941
Bohlke and Chaplin 1968
Randall 1968
Woods and Sonoda 1973
Hoese and Moore 1977
Uyeno et al. 1983
C. R. Robins et al. 1986
Boschung 1992
Randall, J.E. (1967) Food habits of reef fishes of the West Indies. Stud. Trop. Oceanogr. Miami 5:665-847.
Thresher, R.E. (1984) Reproduction in reef fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Neptune City, New Jersey. 399 p.
Greenfield, D.W. (1981) Holocentridae. In W. Fischer, G. Bianchi and W.B. Scott (eds.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Eastern Central Atlantic; fishing areas 34, 47 (in part). Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada and FAO. Vol. 2. pag. var.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Uyeno, T., K. Matsuura and E. Fujii (eds.) (1983) Fishes trawled off Suriname and French Guiana. Japan Marine Fishery Resource Research Center, Tokyo, Japan. 519 p.
Smith, C.L. (1997) National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 720 p.
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