Pempheris poeyi, the curved sweeper and shortfin sweeper, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweeper in the family Pempheridae from the western Atlantic Ocean.

Pempheris poeyi
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Pempheridae
Genus: Pempheris
Species:
P. poeyi
Binomial name
Pempheris poeyi
Bean, 1885

Description edit

Pempherus poeyi has a moderately deep, highly compressed body with a straight dorsal profile. It has relatively large eyes and a large oblique mouth.[2] They have 4-5 spines and 8-9 soft rays in their dorsal fins while there are 3 spines, and 22-24 soft rays in the anal fin. They vary in colour from light yellowish brown, slightly duskier dorsally, to blackish on entire upper flanks and tail.[3] There is a horizontal indistinct darkish band along the flanks.[2] It attains a maximum length of 7.2 centimetres (2.8 in) standard length and 15 centimetres (5.9 in) total length.[1]

Distribution edit

Pempheris poeyi live in the Western Atlantic. This includes the Caribbean Sea, the Lesser Antilles, Colombia, and the island of Bermuda.

Habitat and biology edit

Pempheris poeyi is nocturnal and spends the day in schools in caves, under ledges, or among dense branching coral. It is known for not having a gas bladder.[1] This species is found at depths between 2 and 20 metres (6.6 and 65.6 ft)It comes out of its sheltering places at night to feed on zooplankton in the water column. The larvae are pelagic.[2]

Species description and etymology edit

Pempheris poeyi was described by Tarleton Hoffman Bean in 1885,[4] he found the type among specimens collected by Felipe Poey in Cuba and deposited in the United States National Museum. It was in a bottle with Poey's type of P. mülleri and Hoffman named the new species in Poey's honour.[5]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Dooley, J.; Collette, B.; Aiken, K.A.; Marechal, J.; Pina Amargos, F.; Kishore, R.; Singh-Renton, S. (2015). "Pempheris poeyi". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T16749571A16750082. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T16749571A16750082.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Species: Pempheris poeyi, Curved sweeper, Shortfin sweeper". Shorefishes of the Greater Caribbean online information system. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  3. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2020). "Pempheris poeyi" in FishBase. December 2020 version.
  4. ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Pempheris poeyi". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  5. ^ Tarleton H Bean (1885). "Description of a new species of Pempheris (Pempheris poeyi) from Cuba". Proceedings of the United States National Museum. 8 (516): 229–230.