The collared eel[2] (Kaupichthys nuchalis) is an eel in the family Chlopsidae.[3] It was described by James Erwin Böhlke in 1967.[4] It is a tropical, marine eel known from coral reefs in the western Atlantic Ocean, including Texas, USA; the Bahamas, the Antilles, northern South America, the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean. It is a benthic, solitary eel that primarily resides in tubular sponges. Males can reach a maximum total length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in).[3]
| Collared eel | |
|---|---|
| |
| Kaupichthys nuchalis under normal illumination | |
| |
| Biofluorescence of Kaupichthys nuchalis | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Anguilliformes |
| Family: | Chlopsidae |
| Genus: | Kaupichthys |
| Species: | K. nuchalis
|
| Binomial name | |
| Kaupichthys nuchalis J.E. Böhlke, 1967
| |
| |
The collared eel exhibits biofluorescence, that is, when illuminated by blue or ultraviolet light, it re-emits it as orange, and appears differently than under white light illumination. Biofluorescence may assist in intraspecific communication and camouflage.[5]
References
edit
- ^ Tighe, K. (2015). Kaupichthys nuchalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-2.RLTS.T190473A1952839.en
- ^ Common names for Kaupichthys nuchalis at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ a b Kaupichthys nuchalis at www.fishbase.org.
- ^ Böhlke, J. E. (1967). "The descriptions of three new eels from the tropical west Atlantic". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 118 (4): 91–108. JSTOR 4064593.
- ^ Sparks, John S.; Schelly, Robert C.; Smith, W. Leo; Davis, Matthew P.; Tchernov, Dan; Pieribone, Vincent A.; Gruber, David F. (2014). "The Covert World of Fish Biofluorescence: A Phylogenetically Widespread and Phenotypically Variable Phenomenon". PLOS ONE. 9 (1): e83259. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...983259S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0083259. PMC 3885428. PMID 24421880.
.jpg?lang=en){kind=small} | This Anguilliformes article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |