 |
|
| fishes text index | photo index |
| Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes |
| Slender
seamoth Pegasus volitans Family Pegasidae updated Feb 11
Where seen? This odd long-nosed fish with wings is sometimes seen on some of our shores. At some times of the year, several may be seen on a single trip and then not to be seen again for some time. An active little fish, it is sometimes seen swimming about among seagrasses especially at night. What are seamoths? Seamoths belong to Family Pegasiidae. According to FishBase: the family has 2 genera and 5 species. They are found in the Indo-West Pacific. They are sometimes also called sea robins or dragonfishes. Some scientists place them with the seahorse in the Family Syngnathidae. Pegasus is the winged horse of Greek mythology. In one version of the myth, Pegasus was the son of Poseidon, God of the Sea and Medusa. Features: 4-6cm. Body hard, covered by a bony skeleton of rigid plates. The tail is enclosed in bony rings. It has a long stiff pointed snout that is made up of modified nose bones. The small mouth is found under the snout. The mouth is protrusible, i.e., it can stick out of the body. The snout usually has a white or pale tip. It has large pectoral fins that are held out horizontally and often spread out like wings. The gill openings are small. Seamoths are adapted for bottom-dwelling and lack swim-bladders. The Slender seamoth (Pegasus volitans) is reported to "walk" over the bottom using its pelvic fins which are reduced to a pair of slender structures. A study of captive specimens observed the fish to shed its skin in one piece with a rapid jump, to get rid of unwanted parasites or encrusting algae on their skin. One species can bury themselves in the sand and change colours to match their surroundings. Adult slender seamoths come in various colours and patterns, usually camouflaging. Young slender seamoths are sometimes all black. Why seamoth? Seamoths probably got their name for their long, stiff snouts and the pair of broad, fan-like pectoral fins. They are also called Sea robins. Seamoth babies: Seamoths are believed to have social behaviour and form monogamous pair bonds. Unlike seahorses, they don't brood their young. They spawn in open water near the surface, and the juveniles may float on open waters for some time before settling down in a sheltered place near the shore. What do they eat? They are predators, feeding on tiny creatures on the sea bottom. These are sucked up with their small, toothless mouths found under the snout. Human uses: Seamoths are collected for use in traditional Chinese medicine, like their unfortunate cousins the seahorses and pipefishes. This puts pressure on wild populations. |
 Chek Jawa, Apr 03  Changi, Aug 03  Young seamoths may be all black. Changi, Dec 07  Changi, May 08 |
Their large pectoral fins are often spread out, thus they
resemble moths.
 |
 |
 |
Slender seamoths on Singapore shores
 Changi, May 05  |
 Chek Jawa, Apr 03  |
 Changi, Aug 03  |
video clip and more photos of slender seamoths on Singapore shores
northern shores | southern shores
| Family
Pegasidae recorded for Singapore from Wee Y.C. and Peter K. L. Ng. 1994. A First Look at Biodiversity in Singapore.
|
Links
|
.
Periplus Editions. 292 pp.|
|