Image: Rob |
I'd have thought it was an innovation in mermaid warfare: a javelin drone. Throw it and it swims into enemy territory under its own steam, using those massive eyes to seek out ne'er do wells where'er he dwells. But no, turns out it's a musical-instrumentfish sharpened at both ends. Don't mess with mermaids, man, even their orchestras are ready for battle.
Image: jome jome Bluespotted Cornetfish (Fistularia commersonii) |
Now it's time to take a look at the Pipefish's big brother, the Cornetfish.
Image: Bryant Kevin Fistularia tabacaria, even more blue-spotted than the Bluespotted Cornetfish |
There are only four species of Cornetfish, together found all over the world in tropical and subtropical waters. They all belong to the genus Fistularia which is the only genus in the family Fistuliidae. Fistularia means 'flute' and indeed Cornetfish are also known as Flutemouths. I guess they do look like they're about to play the flute, just remember that the woodwind section is also ready for battle.
Image: Nemo's great uncle Red Cornetfish (F. petimba). Not always red |
A really big individual can reach up to 2 metres (6.5 feet) long, though a more typical length is more like 180 cm (6 ft). Either way, that's getting into Bassoonfish territory.
Image: Kahunapule Michael Johnson Pacific Cornetfish (F. corneta) |
They live in the areas the Red Cornetfish left over, the other side of the Americas, from California down to Peru.
Image: Derek Keats |
They clearly have a long and slender body, but their head is so long it takes up almost a quarter of their total length! Then, just to eke out a few more inches, their tail ends in a long filament.
Video: Germano NZ
They can really enjoy that length, too. Unlike Seahorses and Pipefish, Cornetfish are mostly liberated from the tough, bony armour common among the Syngnathiformes order. The Bluespotted Cornetfish has a row of bony plates running along its back but it's not enough to stop it flexing and curving when it wants to. What, after all, is the point in being that long if you can't see your own tail?
Cornetfish spend most of their time swimming slowly in shallow waters, over coral reefs, sandy plains or rocky rubble. They're surprisingly smart about hiding. The Red Cornetfish can hide behind fatter-bodied fish or swim vertically among plants.
Video: DiveNowGuru
They can even change colour! Acquiring some dark stripes lets them hide among rocks and seaweed.
They also have a very well-developed lateral line. Do you remember the lateral line? It's like an ear stretched out over the entire length of a fish's body, with lots of tiny hairs for sensing (hearing) vibrations in the water. In Cornetfish, this lateral line extends all the way down into that long tail filament. It's almost like an antenna!
Image: John Turnbull |
To be honest, the more I learn about Cornetfish the more it sounds like an amazing innovation in mermaid warfare. It's a ninja javelin drone that can hide behind local fauna or disappear in the bushes. It can covertly listen in on conversations and if it gets caught, it can pretend to be an itinerant flautist. Genius!
1 comment:
https://maldivesindependent.com/crime-2/maldives-man-killed-by-fish-139484
Post a Comment