Siphamia tubifer | |
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Scientific classification
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Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Kurtiformes |
Family: | Apogonidae |
Genus: | Siphamia |
Species: | S. tubifer
|
Binomial name | |
Siphamia tubifer
M. C. W. Weber, 1909
|
Siphamia tubifer, also known as the sea urchin cardinalfish, is a small (~7 cm) coral reef fish in the family Apogonidae. [1] [2] Its geographic range extends from East Africa to the French Polynesian Islands. [3]
During the day, the sea urchin cardinalfish hides among the spines of sea urchins, and it emerges to feed at night. [4] Male S. tubifer are mouthbrooders, holding their fertilized clutches of eggs in their mouths and releasing the larvae when they are in the preflexion stage. [5] [6] This fish has a facultative symbiotic relationship with a bacterium, Photobacterium mandapamensis, which provides bioluminescence for the fish in a specialized light organ in its abdomen. [5]
S. tubifer is thought to acquire the bacteria through ingestion of seawater after its light organ has mostly developed. [7] The luminescence system primarily consists of a ventral light organ that holds the bacteria and a shutter lens in the abdomen. The fish can open and close this shutter at will, controlling the light that it emits. [8] One study showed that at twilight, S. tubifer left its urchin and luminesced to attract and feed on zooplankton near the ocean bottom. [8] Once completely dark again, it stopped emitting light and returned.
Siphamia tubifer | |
---|---|
Scientific classification
![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Kurtiformes |
Family: | Apogonidae |
Genus: | Siphamia |
Species: | S. tubifer
|
Binomial name | |
Siphamia tubifer
M. C. W. Weber, 1909
|
Siphamia tubifer, also known as the sea urchin cardinalfish, is a small (~7 cm) coral reef fish in the family Apogonidae. [1] [2] Its geographic range extends from East Africa to the French Polynesian Islands. [3]
During the day, the sea urchin cardinalfish hides among the spines of sea urchins, and it emerges to feed at night. [4] Male S. tubifer are mouthbrooders, holding their fertilized clutches of eggs in their mouths and releasing the larvae when they are in the preflexion stage. [5] [6] This fish has a facultative symbiotic relationship with a bacterium, Photobacterium mandapamensis, which provides bioluminescence for the fish in a specialized light organ in its abdomen. [5]
S. tubifer is thought to acquire the bacteria through ingestion of seawater after its light organ has mostly developed. [7] The luminescence system primarily consists of a ventral light organ that holds the bacteria and a shutter lens in the abdomen. The fish can open and close this shutter at will, controlling the light that it emits. [8] One study showed that at twilight, S. tubifer left its urchin and luminesced to attract and feed on zooplankton near the ocean bottom. [8] Once completely dark again, it stopped emitting light and returned.