Family | Scientific Name | Author | Year | Common Name |
Fistulariidae | Fistularia tabacaria | Linnaeus | 1758 | Bluespotted Cornetfish |
All Fistularia – Body elongate (to 2 m) and depressed. Mouth small at end of elongate snout; teeth on jaws small. Dorsal and anal fins short-based and opposite, with 14-16 segmented (soft) rays. Pelvic fins small and abdominal, with 6 rays. Lateral line arched anteriorly almost to middle of back, posteriorly continuing out onto elongate filament produced by the middle 2 caudal-fin rays.
Fistularia tabacaria
Unique Characters: Rows of blue spots on back. Smooth bony ridge on side of snout. No elongate bony plates along midline of back; posterior lateral-line ossifications without a spine.
Similar Species: Red Cornetfish Fistularia petimba. Reddish body with 9-10 obscure dark saddles on back. Spiny bony ridge on side of snout. Elongate bony plates imbedded in skin along midline of back; posterior lateral-line ossifications ending in a sharp spine.
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