Vardhan Patankar
Vardhan Patankar
Vardhan Patankar
( Cirrhitichthys oxycephalus )
Found in areas of high coral growth and areas where there is less current or flow of water at maximum depths of 40 m.
They have been recorded to grow to a maximum length of 10 cm and their colours can very as well from whitish-pink to reddish-brown with orangish spots. The coral hawkfish have an oval shaped body with spines on the fin on the top of their body. The fins on the side of their body are pinkish in colour, while their tail is transparent. Like the rest of the hawkfish, they sort of sit and hop from one spot to another just like the hawk bird from where their name comes from.
They are seen usually perching on sittting atop soft corals sponges and beneath corals in general where they hide and ambush prey that includes crustaceans and small fish that pass by.
Phalguni Ranjan
( Cirrhitichthys falco )
They are usually found in areas with rich coral cover on outer reef slopes and flats at maximum depths of about 45 m.
The dwarf hawkfish can reach a maximum length of about 7cm. Their fin on the top of the body has spines, their fins on the side of their body are stretched out and spread when they are resting on an object. They are white in colour with irregular bands and blotches of pinkish-red.
Sitting at the bottom of massive corals, they usualy feed on fish larvae, crustaceans and other invertebrates from the ocean sand.
Vardhan Patankar
Phalguni Ranjan
Vardhan Patankar
( Paracirrhites forsteri )
They are usually found in and around coral reefs mostly on the seaward side and in lagoons at a maximum depth of 30m. You are most likely to find them resting on coral heads using their side fins that prop them up like a tripod stand.
Growing up to a maximum length of 22 cm, their body colouration varies between adults. However, most commonly they are coloured yellowish with dark brown or black band on the sides of their body which gets darker near the tail. Their head and the front half of their body is coloured whitish or grey and speckled with red spots.
They are called ambush predators that feed on crustaceans or small fish, they do so by resting on coral heads and ambushing or catching any prey that pass them.
Joydeep Sarkar
( Oxycirrhites typus )
Found at depths between 10 to 100 m, in outer reef slopes which are exposed to strong currents and live among large gorgonian and black corals.
The longnose hawfish is the only one amongst the hawksfish with an elongated snout. They can reach a maximum length of 13 cm. They are white in colour overlapped with vertical and horizontal red lines that form grids.
They feed on small crustaceans moving around on the ocean floor and which are planktonic.
Phalguni Ranjan
( Paracirrhites arcatus )
These bottom dwelling species are usually spotted around the ocean floor in lagoons and seaward reefs at depths of 1-30m. They are usually found resting on corals and are found alone.
This species reaches a maximum length of about 20 cm, these speicies differ in colour amongst individuals but pale to pinkish brown is the most common. There is a sort of C shaped or 'horshoe' shaped mark behind the eye made up of three lines. They also have three orange bands on a light blue area found around their gills.
They feed on shrimp, small fish, crab and other crustaceans.