Tag: Predatory
Materials found: 16
Longfin grouper
The longfin grouper is a small reef predator with a light "honey" colour and a dense pattern of dark hexagonal or rounded spots on the head, body and fins. On the upper body the pattern looks more like a network; lower down the spots are fewer and less distinct. It is usually sluggish and often "sits" on the bottom resting on its long, fleshy pectoral fins; it feeds on small fish, crustaceans and worms.
Epinephelus quoyanus
Painted spiny lobster
The painted spiny lobster (also known as the blue-spotted or multicoloured lobster) is a spiny lobster that lives on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific. By day it hides in crevices and under reef overhangs and is mainly active at night. It grows to 40 cm in length but is usually seen at about 30 cm. Coloration is white, pink and black with horizontal bands and a net-like pattern; the legs are dark with white bands and the long antennae are often whitish.
Panulirus versicolor
Pharaoh cuttlefish
The pharaoh cuttlefish is a large cuttlefish from the Sepia pharaonis group, found in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific. Mantle length reaches about 42 cm and weight up to 5 kg. Like other cuttlefish, it has a well-developed nervous system and complex behaviour: it uses jet propulsion (including quick backward bursts), releases ink and changes colour and skin pattern instantly using chromatophores; it can also change the "texture" of its body surface with skin papillae for camouflage.
Sepia pharaonis
Red-breasted wrasse
The red-breasted wrasse (redbreast wrasse) is a reef fish of the family Labridae, found in the Indian Ocean and western Pacific, including the Red Sea. It has a deep, moderately flattened body and a large head with thick lips. Coloration changes with age and phase: juveniles are usually pale with several dark vertical stripes; adults and terminal males are more contrasting, with a reddish-orange "breast" on the head and forebody and broad black-and-white horizontal bands behind. It lives on lagoon and outer reefs among coral, sand and rubble, feeding mainly on hard-shelled invertebrates (crustaceans, molluscs, sea urchins).
Cheilinus fasciatus
Red lionfish
The red lionfish (zebra lionfish) is a venomous reef fish of the family Scorpaenidae. It is easily recognised by its long, fan-like pectoral fins and dorsal spines with venom glands. Coloration is contrasting: white vertical stripes alternate with red, maroon or dark brown. By day it often hides in crevices and under reef overhangs; it hunts mainly at dusk and at night, ambushing small fish and crustaceans. A sting from its spines is very painful and can cause a severe reaction.
Pterois volitans
Scorpionfish
The scorpionfish is one of the most venomous yet inconspicuous members of marine fauna. These predators prefer to stay hidden and are skilled at blending into their surroundings. Coloration ranges from dull brown and yellow to bright red and orange. More than 200 known species of scorpionfish live in the coastal waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
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Zebra shark
The zebra shark is the only species in its family. It is easily recognised by its patterned colour, long tail and longitudinal ridges along the body. Its range covers the warm waters of the southern Pacific. It prefers coastal shelves of continents and islands and is often seen on coral reefs at depths of 70–80 metres or less. This shark is large, reaching over three metres in length, though adults are usually 2 to 2.5 metres.
Stegostoma tigrinum