Paranthias colonus — Details

Pacific Creolefish learn more about names for this taxon

Overview

Comprehensive Description

Description

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Common names: creolefish (English), indio (Espanol), sandia (Espanol), cuna (Espanol), cabinza (Espanol)
 
Paranthias colonus (Valenciennes, 1846)



Pacific creolefish



Body elongate, fusiform; head small, both profiles convex; rakers on first gill arch 37-44;  dorsal rays IX, 19-21; anal rays III, 9-11; pectoral rays 19- 23; tail fin strongly concave.

Young often bright yellow with five small dark spots on back; adults greenish brown dorsally, reddish below with five white or blue-white spots on back; fins reddish.


Size: to 36 cm.

Habitat: forms large midwater schools above rocky reefs while feeding on plankton.

Depth: 0-100 m.

Baja to the central Gulf of California to Peru, and all the offshore islands.

P. furcifer from the western Atlantic is closely related and very similar in appearance.

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Biology

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Found typically in small aggregations well above the reef, but will retreat to the reef at the approach of danger. Feeds mainly on small planktonic animals picked individually from the water, made possible by their shortened snout which facilitates close-range binocular vision. Excellent source of bait (Ref. 9342).
  • Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall 1993 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 16. Groupers of the world (family Serranidae, subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(16):viii+382p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 5222)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=5222&speccode=12 External link.
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Distribution

Range Description

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Paranthias colonus is restricted to the eastern Pacific and is distributed from the Gulf of California to Peru, including the Revillagigedo, Galápagos, Clipperton, Cocos, and Malpelo islands.
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Depth

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Depth Range (m): 0 (S) - 100 (S)
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Zoogeography

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See Map (including site records) of Distribution in the Tropical Eastern Pacific


 
Global Endemism: All species, East Pacific endemic, Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic

Regional Endemism: All species, TEP endemic, Continent + Island (s), Continent, Island (s)

Residency: Resident

Climate Zone: North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California), Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap), Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos), Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo), South Temperate (Peruvian Province )

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Eastern Pacific: Gulf of California to Peru, including the Revillagigedo, Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, and Malpelo islands.
  • Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall 1993 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 16. Groupers of the world (family Serranidae, subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(16):viii+382p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 5222)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=5222&speccode=12 External link.
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Physical Description

Morphology

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Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18 - 21; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 9 - 11
  • Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall 1993 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 16. Groupers of the world (family Serranidae, subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(16):viii+382p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 5222)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=5222&speccode=12 External link.
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Size

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Length max (cm): 36.0 (S)
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Size

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Maximum size: 356 mm TL
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Max. size

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35.6 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 5592))
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Type Information

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Paratype for Paranthias pinguis
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Collector(s): L. Walford
Year Collected: 1935
Locality: Guaymas, Mexico, Sonora, Mexico, Pacific
  • Paratype:
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Type for Paranthias pinguis
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Division of Fishes
Collector(s): L. Walford
Year Collected: 1935
Locality: Guaymas, Mexico, Sonora, Mexico, Pacific
  • Type:
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Ecology

Habitat

Habitat and Ecology

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Habitat and Ecology
Paranthias colonus is a reef-associated species found typically in small aggregations well above the reef, but retreats to the reef at the approach of danger. The species feeds mainly on small planktonic animals picked individually from the water, made possible by their shortened snout which facilitates close-range binocular vision.

Systems
  • Marine
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Depth range based on 25 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 13 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 2 - 68.5
  Temperature range (°C): 19.490 - 27.485
  Nitrate (umol/L): 0.290 - 19.788
  Salinity (PPS): 33.044 - 35.036
  Oxygen (ml/l): 2.342 - 4.970
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.409 - 1.482
  Silicate (umol/l): 2.926 - 17.402

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 2 - 68.5

Temperature range (°C): 19.490 - 27.485

Nitrate (umol/L): 0.290 - 19.788

Salinity (PPS): 33.044 - 35.036

Oxygen (ml/l): 2.342 - 4.970

Phosphate (umol/l): 0.409 - 1.482

Silicate (umol/l): 2.926 - 17.402
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.
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Depth: 10 - 70m.
From 10 to 70 meters.

Habitat: reef-associated.
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Habitat

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Salinity: Marine, Marine Only

Inshore/Offshore: Inshore, Inshore Only

Water Column Position: Bottom, Bottom only

Habitat: Reef (rock &/or coral), Reef only, Rocks, Corals, Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)

FishBase Habitat: Reef Associated
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Environment

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reef-associated; marine; depth range 10 - 70 m (Ref. 5222)
  • Heemstra, P.C. and J.E. Randall 1993 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 16. Groupers of the world (family Serranidae, subfamily Epinephelinae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the grouper, rockcod, hind, coral grouper and lyretail species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(16):viii+382p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 5222)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=5222&speccode=12 External link.
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Trophic Strategy

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Found typically in small aggregations well above the reef, but will retreat to the reef at the approach of danger. Feeds mainly on small planktonic animals picked individually from the water, made possible by their shortened snout which facilitates close-range binocular vision. Planktivore (Ref. 57615).
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Feeding

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Feeding Group: Carnivore, Planktivore

Diet: Pelagic crustacea, zooplankton, pelagic fish eggs, bony fishes
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Life History and Behavior

Reproduction

Reproduction

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Egg Type: Pelagic, Pelagic larva
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Molecular Biology and Genetics

Molecular Biology

Barcode data: Paranthias colonus

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The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species. 

 
There is 1 barcode sequence available from BOLD and GenBank.   Below is the sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen.  Other sequences that do not yet meet barcode criteria may also be available.
 
MFC274-08|MFC275|Paranthias colonus| ------------------------------------------CTTTATCTAGTATTTGGTGCCTGAGCCGGCATAGTGGGAACAGCTCTA---AGCCTTTTAATTCGGGCTGAACTGAGCCAACCAGGTGCCTTACTCGGCGAT---GATCAAATCTACAATGTAATCGTTACGGCACATGCTTTCGTAATAATCTTCTTTATAGTAATGCCAATTATGATTGGTGGATTCGGAAACTGACTTATTCCTTTAATAATA---GGTGCCCCCGATATAGCATTCCCCCGAATGAACAATATAAGCTTCTGGCTTCTTCCCCCATCCTTCCTACTCCTACTAGCCTCCTCTGGAGTAGAAGCCGGTGCTGGTACTGGTTGAACGGTCTATCCGCCCTTAGCCGGAAACCTGGCCCACGCAGGCGCCTCTGTTGACCTA---ACCATCTTCTCCCTTCATTTAGCAGGTATCTCATCAATCCTCGGGGCAATTAACTTTATTACTACTATTATTAACATGAAACCTCCTGCTATCTCTCAATACCAAACACCACTGTTTGTTTGAGCCGTCCTAATCACGGCTGTTCTTCTTCTTCTCTCACTTCCTGTCCTTGCCGCT---GGTATCACAATGCTTCTAACAGACCGAAATCTCAACACCACCTTCTTCGACCCTGCCGGCGGAGGAGACCCAATCCTTTACCAACACCTA-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
-- end --

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Statistics of barcoding coverage: Paranthias colonus

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Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 1
Species: 9
Species With Barcodes: 1

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Conservation

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List Assessment

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Red List Category
LC
Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version
3.1

Year Assessed
2008

Assessor/s
Rocha, L., Ferreira, B., Choat, J.H., Craig, M. & Sadovy, Y.

Reviewer/s
Sadovy, Y. & Moss, K. (Grouper and Wrasse Red List Authority)

Contributor/s

Justification
Paranthias colonus is an abundant and widespread species throughout its range and is not targeted in any fishery and not currently in decline. Therefore, the species is assessed as Least Concern.
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Conservation status

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IUCN Red List: Not evaluated / Listed

CITES: Not listed
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Population

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Population
Pacific creole-fish are very abundant throughout their range. The species is not fished and there is no known decline.

Population Trend
Stable
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Threats

Threats

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Major Threats
Pacific creole-fish are not found in fishery. The species doesn't usually take baited hooks because of its plantivorous feeding behaviour.
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Least Concern (LC)
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Management

Conservation Actions

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Conservation Actions
Paranthias colonus is found in several protected areas and there is currently no need to add further protection since it is not a targeted species within the fishery.
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems

Benefits

Importance

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fisheries: subsistence fisheries; bait: usually
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