Jozani biodiversity inventory report 2002 - Coastal Forests of Kenya ...

CLUPEIDAE
Colour: back usually ble/green, sside ssilvery, sometimes with a distinct silver band. Dark
dots or spots along the back
Geographical distribution and behaviour
Throughout warm waters, inhabits coastal waters, pelagic, feeds on detritus.
Tropical Indo-Pacific, East Africa, South Africa
DACTYLOPTERIDAE
Colour: usually dusk red or purple with brown spots above, pinkiush or whitish below.
Geographical distribution and behaviour
Throuighout most of the area, Indo-weswt Pacific from Japan to Australia. Feeds primarlly in
benthic crustaceans, clams and small fishes.
EPHIPPIDAE
Coulour: silvery grey to greenish, body with 4 to 10 vertical bands fading with age.
Geographical distribution and behaviour
Within East coastal of Africa from Natal northward to Mombasa and Zanzibar. Feed by
nibbing at organisms on rocks and corals.
FISTULARIIDAE
Colour: vaiable with the species either red to oragnge brown above and silvbey below or
brownish-olive above, lighter below with series of blue spotson back and snout..
Geographical distribution and behaviour
In west Indian Ocean along the East coast of Africa from Red sea to Maldives. Most common
in seagrass beds and coral reefs in shallow waters. Feeds on small fishes and shrimps.
GERREIDAE
Colour: head and body usually silvery, often with faint marking such as spots or lines.
Small to medium sized fishes, body more or less compressed.
Geographical distribution and behaviour
Inhabit coastal waters down to depths of about 40m, near the bottom usually found in schools.
Feeds bottom living animals.
156