Apistidae

Apistus carinatus

The wasp fish ( Apistidae ) are a poor family of sea fishes of the order Perciformes ( Perciformes ). They live as bottom dwellers in the western Indo-Pacific and are predators that spend buried in the seabed of the day and go out at night to hunt.

Features

Wasp fish are about 20 inches long. Their pectoral fins are greatly elongated and remember insect wings. Three pectoral fin rays are free and have no connection through a membrane. On the chin there are three barbels, which are used to detect hidden prey. The swim bladder is divided into two parts. Like the scorpion fish have the wasp fish fin rays, which can make a very strong poison.

System

There are three species in three monotypic genera.

• Apistops Ogilby, 1911 Apistops caloundra ( De Vis, 1886)

• Beard wasp fish ( Apistus carinatus ) ( Bloch & Schneider, 1801)

• Cheroscorpaena tridactyla Mees, 1964