Prognathodes aculeatus
Encyclopedia
The longsnout butterflyfish, Prognathodes aculeatus, is a species
of butterflyfish
found in tropical atlantic water
s. It is also known as the butterbun, the Caribbean longsnout butterflyfish, or Poey's butterflyfish. This species should not be confused with the banded longsnout butterflyfish or Chelmon rostratus.
The longsnout butterflyfish was first described in 1860 by two scientists: Felipe Poey y Aloy and Albert C. L. G. Günther
. Between them the fish was given three separate scientific names each one in a different genus
. It was again described in 1880 by Sauvage
who gave it yet another scientific name.
that is much more distinctive than those of similar species. They also have a dusky to yellow
colored stripe that runs almost vertically from the top of the head
to the eyes (unlike the stripes on other butterflyfishes which extend past the eyes).
The upper half of the longsnout butterflyfish is yellow that changes to orange and again darkens to brownish-orange. The dorsal fin
of the fish is usually black.
, in the Gulf of Mexico
, in the Caribbean Sea
, and off the coast
of Venezuela
.
. They also inhabit deeper reefs and spend much of their time foraging
in recesses for invertebrate
s. It is also known to eat the tube feet
of sea urchin
s and tubeworm tentacles. Unlike many other members of its family
, the longsnout butterflyfish does not pick parasites from other fish
.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of butterflyfish
Butterflyfish
The butterflyfish are a group of conspicuous tropical marine fish of the family Chaetodontidae; the bannerfish and coralfish are also included in this group. Found mostly on the reefs of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans, there are approximately 120 species in 10 genera...
found in tropical atlantic water
Water
Water is a chemical substance with the chemical formula H2O. A water molecule contains one oxygen and two hydrogen atoms connected by covalent bonds. Water is a liquid at ambient conditions, but it often co-exists on Earth with its solid state, ice, and gaseous state . Water also exists in a...
s. It is also known as the butterbun, the Caribbean longsnout butterflyfish, or Poey's butterflyfish. This species should not be confused with the banded longsnout butterflyfish or Chelmon rostratus.
Scientific name
Albert C. L. G. Günther
Albert Karl Ludwig Gotthilf Günther FRS, also Albert Charles Lewis Gotthilf Günther , was a German-born British zoologist, ichthyologist, and herpetologist....
. Between them the fish was given three separate scientific names each one in a different genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
. It was again described in 1880 by Sauvage
Henri Émile Sauvage
- Works :Articles in The Popular Science Monthly:* “Amphibious Fishes,” in Popular Science Monthly Volume 9, September 1876* “The Archer-Fishes,” in Popular Science Monthly Volume 12, January 1878* “The Matamata,” in Popular Science Monthly Volume 16, March 1880...
who gave it yet another scientific name.
Description
An average of 2 to 3 inches long, the longsnout butterflyfish is commonly known for its namesake long snoutSnout
The snout, or muzzle, is the protruding portion of an animal's face, consisting of its nose, mouth, and jaw.-Terminology:The term "muzzle", used as a noun, can be ambiguous...
that is much more distinctive than those of similar species. They also have a dusky to yellow
Yellow
Yellow is the color evoked by light that stimulates both the L and M cone cells of the retina about equally, with no significant stimulation of the S cone cells. Light with a wavelength of 570–590 nm is yellow, as is light with a suitable mixture of red and green...
colored stripe that runs almost vertically from the top of the head
Head
In anatomy, the head of an animal is the rostral part that usually comprises the brain, eyes, ears, nose and mouth . Some very simple animals may not have a head, but many bilaterally symmetric forms do....
to the eyes (unlike the stripes on other butterflyfishes which extend past the eyes).
The upper half of the longsnout butterflyfish is yellow that changes to orange and again darkens to brownish-orange. The dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
of the fish is usually black.
Habitat and range
Fairly common throughout its range, the longsnout butterflyfish is found on natural and artificial reefs, usually 30 to 200 ft in depth, off FloridaFlorida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, in the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, and off the coast
Coast
A coastline or seashore is the area where land meets the sea or ocean. A precise line that can be called a coastline cannot be determined due to the dynamic nature of tides. The term "coastal zone" can be used instead, which is a spatial zone where interaction of the sea and land processes occurs...
of Venezuela
Venezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
.
Behavior
Longsnout butterflyfish are much more solitary than many other members of their familyFamily
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
. They also inhabit deeper reefs and spend much of their time foraging
Foraging
- Definitions and significance of foraging behavior :Foraging is the act of searching for and exploiting food resources. It affects an animal's fitness because it plays an important role in an animal's ability to survive and reproduce...
in recesses for invertebrate
Invertebrate
An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...
s. It is also known to eat the tube feet
Tube feet
Tube feet are the many small tubular projections found most famously on the oral face of a sea star's arms, but are characteristic of the water vascular system of the echinoderm phylum which also includes sea urchins, sand dollars and sea cucumbers and many other sea creatures.Tube feet function in...
of sea urchin
Sea urchin
Sea urchins or urchins are small, spiny, globular animals which, with their close kin, such as sand dollars, constitute the class Echinoidea of the echinoderm phylum. They inhabit all oceans. Their shell, or "test", is round and spiny, typically from across. Common colors include black and dull...
s and tubeworm tentacles. Unlike many other members of its family
Family
In human context, a family is a group of people affiliated by consanguinity, affinity, or co-residence. In most societies it is the principal institution for the socialization of children...
, the longsnout butterflyfish does not pick parasites from other fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
.