Family Sphyraenidae

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Family Sphyraenidae

• By Travis Rabun

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Phylum Vertebrata

• Class Osteichthyes
• Order Perciformes
• Family Sphyraenidae
• Sphyraena barracuda The Great Barracuda

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Family Sphyraenidae

• Sphyraena is the only genus in the family
• Elongated fish, with pike-like appearance
• Have fang like teeth like paranhas
• Long pointed heads
• Some have underbites
• Rely on surprise and short burst of speed to kill
  prey

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Sphyraena barracudaDistinguishing features

• Lives near reefs at around 1-100 meters
• Has an emarginate tail fin with pale tips on each
  lobe
• Have black blotches on the lower sides of the
  fish
• Long and silver with a flattened head

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Great Barracuda Fun Facts

• Feed on small fish, cephalopods, and sometimes
  shrimp
• Rarely attack humans, and is rarely fatal
• Largest was 5.5 feet, 103 lbs.
• Barracuda meat is poisonous, and can be dangerous
  to eat
• Also illegal to sell barracuda meat

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• Class Osteichthyes
• Order Perciformes
• Family Mullidae
• Pseudupeneus malactusSpotted Goatfish

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Family Mullidae goat fish

• Tropical marine fish
• Also known as red mullets
• Have a chemosensory barbels protruding from chin
  to help search for food in substrate
• By day form non feeding schools for protection
  from predetors
• Can change their color based on activity
  (feeding, mating, etc.)

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Spotted Goatfish Distinguishing Features

• Live near reefs at a depth range of 1-90 meters
• Distinguishable by a series of three large
  blackish blotches on upper side of body beneath
  dorsal fins
• Typically pale in color with three black/red
  blotches on its sides

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Spotted Goatfish

• Feed on small invertebrates
• Highly esteemed in fish markets
• Goatfish have two barbels extending form the
  chin, these are used to probe the sand for food