Sweeper

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Sweeper

Sweepers are small, tropical marine (occasionally brackish) perciform fish

Fish

A fish is any marine biology vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scale , and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins....
of the family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is a taxonomic rank. Exact details of formal nomenclature depend on the Nomenclature Codes which applies....
Pempheridae. Found in the western Atlantic Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions; with a total area of about 106.4 million square kilometres . It covers approximately one-fifth of the Earth's surface....
and Indo-Pacific

Indo-Pacific

The Indo-Pacific is a biogeography region of the earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia....
region, the family contains approximately 26 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
in two genera

Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
. One species (Pempheris xanthoptera ) is the target of subsistence fisheries

Fishery

Generally, a fishery is a unit, engaged in raising and/or harvesting fish, which is determined by an authority or other entity to be a fishery....
in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, People's Republic of China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south....
, where the fish is much enjoyed for its taste. Sweepers are occasionally kept in the marine aquarium

Marine aquarium

A marine aquarium is an aquarium that keeps ocean plants and animals in a contained environment. Marine aquaria are further subdivided by hobbyists into fish only , fish only with live rock , and reef aquarium....
.

ly keeled, compressed bodies and large eyes typify sweepers, their form somewhat like hatchetfish

Hatchetfish

The name hatchetfish may refer to two unrelated groups of fishes:*Marine hatchetfishes, small deep-sea bioluminescence fishes of the family Sternoptychidae, subfamily Sternoptychinae....
; both cycloid and ctenoid scale

Scale (zoology)

In most biology nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration....
s may be present.

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Encyclopedia

Sweepers are small, tropical marine (occasionally brackish) perciform fish

Fish

A fish is any marine biology vertebrate animal that is typically ectothermic , covered with scale , and equipped with two sets of paired fins and several unpaired fins....
of the family

Family (biology)

Atlantic Ocean

Indo-Pacific

Species

Genus

Fishery

Generally, a fishery is a unit, engaged in raising and/or harvesting fish, which is determined by an authority or other entity to be a fishery....
in Japan

Japan

Marine aquarium

Physical description

Deeply keeled, compressed bodies and large eyes typify sweepers, their form somewhat like hatchetfish

Hatchetfish

Scale (zoology)

Dorsal fin

A wikt:dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of some fish, whales, dolphins, and porpoises, as well as the ichthyosaurs. Its main purpose is to stabilize the animal against rolling and assist in sudden turns....
begins before the body's midpoint and may have 4-7 spines; the anal fin is extensive and usually has 3 spines. The mouth is subterminal and strongly oblique. Species of the genus Parapriacanthus have much more cylindrical bodies.

Some species possess photophore

Photophore

A photophore is a light-emitting organ which appears as luminescence spots on various marine animals, including fish and cephalopods. The organ can be simple, or as complex as the human eye; equipped with lenses, shutters, color filters and reflectors ....
s. All but the curved sweeper (Pempheris poeyi) possess a gas bladder

Gas bladder

The gas bladder is an internal gas-filled Organ that contributes to the ability of a fish to control its buoyancy, and thus to stay at the current water depth without having to waste energy in swimming....
. The largest species is the common bullseye (Pempheris multiradiata) at 28 centimetres in length; most other species measure 16 centimetres or less. Coloration is relatively subdued.

Behaviour

Characteristically shallow water, schooling fish (especially as juveniles), sweepers are nocturnal and seek shelter under ledges or in the caves, nooks and crannies of reef

Reef

In nautical terminology, a reef is a Rock , bar , or other feature lying beneath the surface of the water .Many reefs result from abiotic processes?deposition of sand, wave erosion planning down rock outcrops, and other natural processes?but the best-known reefs are the coral reefs of tropical waters developed through biotic processes do...
s or eroded, rocky shorelines during the day. They are often found sharing these hiding places with cardinalfishes and bigeyes, fellow nightowls. At night, sweepers forage for zooplankton

Zooplankton

Zooplankton are the heterotrophic type of plankton. Plankton are organisms drifting in the Pelagic zone of oceans, seas, and bodies of fresh water....
, their primary food items.

At least one species, the small-scale bullseye (Pempheris compressa) of Australia

Australia

Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the southern hemisphere comprising the Australia of the world's smallest continent, the major island of Tasmania, and numerous list of islands of Australia in the Indian Ocean and Pacific Oceans....
, is known to enter coastal estuaries

Estuary

An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
whilst young.

Species

There are 26 species in two genera:

Genus Parapriacanthus

Parapriacanthus dispar (Herre, 1935).
Slender bullseye, Parapriacanthus elongatus (McCulloch, 1911).
Parapriacanthus marei Fourmanoir, 1971.
Pigmy sweeper, Parapriacanthus ransonneti Steindachner
Franz Steindachner

Franz Steindachner was an Austrian zoologist.Being interested in natural history, Steindachner took up the study of fossil fishes on the recommendation of his friend Eduard Suess....
, 1870.

Genus Pempheris

New Zealand bigeye
New Zealand bigeye

New Zealand bigeye, Pempheris adspersa, is a sweeper of the genus Pempheris, found around New Zealand to depths of about 100 metres, in reef areas of broken rock containing suitable caves and overhangs....
, Pempheris adspersa Griffin, 1927.
Dusky sweeper, Pempheris adusta Bleeker
Pieter Bleeker

Pieter Bleeker was a Netherlands medical doctor and ichthyology, famous for his work on the fishes of East Asia.He was employed as a medical officer in the Dutch East Indian Army from 1842 to 1860, stationed in Indonesia....
, 1877.
Black-tipped bullseye, Pempheris affinis McCulloch, 1911.
Bronze sweeper, Pempheris analis Waite, 1910.
Small-scale bullseye, Pempheris compressa (White, 1790).
Pempheris japonica Döderlein, 1883.
Klunzinger's bullseye, Pempheris klunzingeri McCulloch, 1911.
Black-edged sweeper, Pempheris mangula Cuvier
Georges Cuvier

Baron Georges L?opold Chr?tien Fr?d?ric Dagobert Cuvier was a France natural history and zoology. He was the elder brother of Fr?d?ric Cuvier , also a naturalist....
, 1829.
Pempheris molucca Cuvier
Georges Cuvier

Baron Georges L?opold Chr?tien Fr?d?ric Dagobert Cuvier was a France natural history and zoology. He was the elder brother of Fr?d?ric Cuvier , also a naturalist....
, 1829.
Common bullseye, Pempheris multiradiata Klunzinger, 1880.
Pempheris nyctereutes Jordan
David Starr Jordan

David Starr Jordan, Ph.D., LL.D. was a leading eugenics, ichthyologist , educator and peace activist. He was president of Indiana University and Stanford University....
& Evermann, 1902.
Pempheris ornata Mooi & Jubb, 1996.
Pempheris otaitensis Cuvier
Georges Cuvier

Baron Georges L?opold Chr?tien Fr?d?ric Dagobert Cuvier was a France natural history and zoology. He was the elder brother of Fr?d?ric Cuvier , also a naturalist....
, 1831.
Silver sweeper, Pempheris oualensis Cuvier
Georges Cuvier

Baron Georges L?opold Chr?tien Fr?d?ric Dagobert Cuvier was a France natural history and zoology. He was the elder brother of Fr?d?ric Cuvier , also a naturalist....
, 1831.
Curved sweeper, Pempheris poeyi Bean, 1885.
Pempheris rapa Mooi, 1998.
Glassy sweeper, Pempheris schomburgkii Müller & Troschel, 1848.
Pempheris schreineri Miranda-Ribeiro, 1915.
Black-stripe sweeper, Pempheris schwenkii Bleeker
Pieter Bleeker

Pieter Bleeker was a Netherlands medical doctor and ichthyology, famous for his work on the fishes of East Asia.He was employed as a medical officer in the Dutch East Indian Army from 1842 to 1860, stationed in Indonesia....
, 1855.
Vanikoro sweeper, Pempheris vanicolensis Cuvier
Georges Cuvier

Baron Georges L?opold Chr?tien Fr?d?ric Dagobert Cuvier was a France natural history and zoology. He was the elder brother of Fr?d?ric Cuvier , also a naturalist....
, 1831.
Pempheris xanthoptera Tominaga, 1963.
Pempheris ypsilychnus Mooi & Jubb, 1996.