Shrimpfish

Striped Schnepf knife fish ( Aeoliscus strigatus )

The subfamily of Schnepf knife fish ( Centriscinae ) belongs to the Schnepf fish ( Centriscidae ) within the order of pipefish -like ( Syngnathiformes ). It consists of two species with two types. The animals live in the tropical Indo-Pacific. They are also called the German razor fish.

Features

It is narrow elongated fish with a sharp knife-like, formed of bone plates abdominal keel, with its characteristic swimming behavior - go between seagrass fields or between sea fans in search of food - with the head down. To protect the fish often hold between the long spines of sea urchins Diadem ( tiara sp.) On. All species are toothless and have a tubular snout pipette to suck the food. The dorsal fin is dressed to the rear end.

System

There are two genera with two species. The genera differ in the construction of the first dorsal fin ray. In Centriscus it is rigid, while in the center it has a hinge at Aeoliscus and can be bent.

• Subfamily Schnepf knife fish ( Centriscinae ) Genus Aeoliscus Jordan & Starks, 1902. Spotted Schnepf knife fish ( Aeoliscus punctulatus ) ( Bianconi, 1855).
• Striped Schnepf knife fish ( Aeoliscus strigatus ) ( Günther, 1861).

• Centriscus cristatus ( De Vis, 1885).
• Centriscus scutatus Linnaeus, 1758.