Ninespine batfish

📖 Overview

Ninespine batfish (Zabidius novemaculeatus), first described by McCulloch, 1916 is a large fish in the family Ephippidae (order Acanthuriformes). Adults typically reach 45.00 cm in maximum length. It inhabits marine coastal and open-ocean environments. Recorded depth range: 10 to 40 metres. It occurs in Tropical waters. It feeds on a mix of small fish and invertebrates as a mid-level predator.

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27 - 29; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 20 - 22. Silvery, with faint dark horizontal lines between scale rows. Brown band from top of head through eye to chest (fading with growth). Another, less distinct, curved dark bands from nape across operculum and pectoral-fin base to belly. Median fins dusky or pale with dark margins. Body orbicular and strongly compressed, its depth more than twice head length and 1.2 to 1.4 times in SL. Head length 3.1 to 3.6 times in SL. Head profile of adults with a slight bump between eyes. Snout, preopercle flange, and lower jaw naked, rest of head scaly. Jaws with 2 to 4 rows flattened, tricuspid teeth. Small patch of teeth on vomer. Palatines toothless. Five pores on each side of lower jaw. Preopercle with a few rudimentary serrae along its rounded angle. Opercle with a flat spine, and a rounded bone on its upper portion (Ref 43039).: short and / or deep.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Ninespine batfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 10 - 40 m . Tropical

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Scientific Synonyms

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 4 records indexed .

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