THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

and Central Pacific.
Habitat: Subtidal coral reef flats, lagoons, and
seaward reefs at depths over 30 m.
Appearance: Dorsal area brown with narrow
silver stripes; head and upper sides mainly
silver to gray, brownish-orange on lower
sides. Prominent golden yellow blotch below
posterior of dorsal fin. Max. length: 30 cm.
Diet: Nocturnal feeder on benthic invertebrates,
including crabs, snails, and small fishes.
Reproduction and Development: Often form
large aggregations for pelagic spawning.
Remarks: During the day, up to several hundred
individuals aggregate between coral heads or in
gullies, hovering motionless in compact mass.
Opaleye
Girella nigricans (Kyphosidae)
Sea Chubs
Distribution: Oregon to southern Baja California.
Habitat: A resident intertidal species with
strong homing behavior. Can leave tide pools
if aquatic conditions become inhospitable.
Also found near or over rocky reefs and in kelp
beds up to about 30 m depth. Dense schools
form in the spring season in kelp forests.
Young are pelagic.
Appearance: Ovally rounded football-shaped
profile. Olive-green, frequently shaded with
blue or gray; often the snout has a white-colored
area. Can display a silvery-white spotted
pattern over the entire body; one to three white
spots on back. Bright blue to blue-green eyes.
Young are blue dorsally, silver ventrally. Max
length: to 66 cm.
Diet: Feeds diurnally, mainly on seaweeds;
occasionally take invertebrates (shrimps, amphipods,
jellyfish, etc.)
Reproduction and Development: Spawns
April to June; female sheds eggs into the
water column. Young-of-the-year move into
tide pools from June until winter season, the
smallest in the most elevated pools. After 1–2
years the juveniles migrate to subtidal reefs
and kelp forests.
Mortality/Longevity: A popular sportfish, also
a mild, good-eating fish, sold commercially as
“perch.”
California Academy of Sciences
147
Halfmoon
Medialuna californiensis (Kyphosidae)
Sea Chubs
Distribution: Vancouver Island, British
Columbia to Gulf of California. Most common
south of Point Conception, California.
Habitat: Common on nearshore rocky reefs
and in kelp beds. Most abundant from
3–20 m.
Appearance: Slate blue to blue black, silvery
belly; dusky area above gill cover. Medialuna
and common name refers to the half-moon
shape of the tail. Scales extend over part of
dorsal fin. Max. length: 20 cm.
Diet: Seaweed, sponges, small invertebrates.
Diurnal feeders.
Reproduction and Development: Females
oviparous.
Mortality/Longevity: Taken by California sea
lions, northern fur seals, loons, cormorants,
and bald eagles among others.
Remarks: A popular sport fish, especially from
Santa Monica south. Also a small commercial
fishery, as flesh is of excellent quality. Typically
found in schools or loose aggregations.
Mono
Monodactylus argenteus (Monodactylidae)
Moonyfishes
Distribution: Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and
East Africa to Samoa, north to southern Japan,
south to New Caledonia and Australia.
Habitat: Bays, mangrove estuaries, tidal creeks,
and lower reaches of freshwater streams.
Appearance: Adults bright silver with
yellowish dorsal and tail fins. Round to
triangular-shaped, laterally compressed body.
Small juveniles more colorful with yellow over
most of the dorsal fin and two vertical black
bands over the head. Max. size: 27 cm.
Diet: Planktonic and benthic invertebrates.
Reproduction: Batch spawner.
Remarks: Territorial; adults form schools;
juveniles solitary or in small groups.
Bank Butterflyfish
Chaetodon aya (Chaetodontidae)
Butterflyfishes
Distribution: Western Central Atlantic: North
Carolina and northeastern Gulf of Mexico to