Month: December 2014

Species: Gnathodentex aureolineatus English Name: Goldlined Emperor, Striped Large-eye Bream Chinese Name: 金带鲷, 金帶齒頜鯛 Family: Lethrinidae Description: The body of the Striped Large-eye Bream is silverfish blue with strips of yellow on it. Can grow up to a length of 30 cm. Lives in the subtidal reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs. Preys at night on…

Species: Carcharodon carcharias English Name: Great White Shark Chinese Name: 大白鲨 Family: Lamnidae Description: A huge, spindle-shaped shark, the snout is conical- shaped, and has large, triangular, saw-edged teeth. The body of this shark is lead-grey to brown or black above, lighter on sides, and white below. Can grow up to a length of 541 cm.…

Species: Istiophorus platypterus English Name: Indo-Pacific Sailfish Chinese Name: 平鰭旗魚, 東方旗魚 Family: Istiophoridae Description: The body of the Indo-Pacific Sailfish is elongated and compressed; the upper jaw is prolonged into a very long beak; two dorsal fins; pelvic fins are narrow but very long, with 1 spine and 2 rays. The back of this billfish is…

Species: Paragaleus tengi English Name: Straight-tooth Weasel Shark Chinese Name: 台灣副沙條鯊, 鄧氏沙條鮫 Family: Hemigaleidae Description: The body of this weasel shark is grey or grey-brown above, light below, no prominent marking on body and fins. Can grow up to a length of 88 cm. Lives inshore. Used for minor commercialization. Photos used under a Creative Commons…

Species: Hemipristis elongata English Name: Snaggletooth Shark Chinese Name: 長體恐根齒鯊, 尖鰭副沙條鯊 Family: Hemigaleidae Description: A slender light grey or bronzy with no prominent markings weasel shark with a long, broad rounded snout, large curved, saw-edged teeth in the upper jaw, and hooked lower teeth protruding from mouth. Can grow up to a length of 240 cm.…

Species: Hemigaleus microstoma English Name: Sicklefin Weasel Shark Chinese Name: 犁鰭半沙條鯊 Family: Hemigaleidae Description: The body of this shark is grey-brown above, lighter below, dorsal fins with white tips and posterior margins, sometimes with spots on sides of body. Can grow up to a length of 114 cm. Inhabits on the continental seas. Preys on cephalopods…

Species: Chaenogaleus macrostoma English Name: Hooktooth Shark Chinese Name: 尖齒鯊 Family: Hemigaleidae Description: The body of this shark is bronzy-grey above, white below when fresh, fading to greyish or greyish brown in preservation, dorsal fins often with dusky or black tips. Can grow up to a length of 100 cm. Inhabits on the continental and insular…

Species: Diagramma pictum English Name: Painted Sweetlips Chinese Name: 花石鱸, 少棘胡椒鯛 Family: Haemulidae Description: There are five subspecies of D. pictum, which varies in different colors. The Painted Sweetlips found in Southeast Asia are blue-grey with yellow to orange spots on the head, body and fins. The spots on the head often form lines. Can grow…

Species: Valenciennea immaculata English Name: Red-lined Sleeper Chinese Name: 無斑美塘鱧 Family: Gobiidae Description: These gobies have a total of 6 to 7 dorsal spines, 13 to 17 dorsal soft rays, an anal spine, and 13 to 16 anal soft rays. Can grow up to a length of 13 cm. Inhabits fine, silty or muddy sand bottoms.…

Species: Oxuderces dentatus English Name: Crocodile-face Goby Chinese Name: 中華鈍牙鰕虎魚 Family: Gobiidae Description: These gobies are greyish blue in the head and trunk, translucent in the caudal, anal and pelvic fins, also in the pectoral fin but with a large, dusky blotch on upper base. Can grow up to a length of 10 cm. Lives in brackish…