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Bivalve pearlfish (Onuxodon fowleri) — Carapidae

Bivalve pearlfish

Onuxodon fowleri
Family: Carapidae

The Bivalve pearlfish (Onuxodon fowleri) is a saltwater fish of the family Carapidae that grows up to 10 cm.

Length
10 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–30.0 m
Body shape
Snake-like
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

The bivalve pearlfish is a small pearlfish (Carapidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 10 cm and has a slender, translucent, eel-like body without pelvic fins. Remarkably it often lives hidden inside the shell of a living pearl oyster or other bivalve, where it finds shelter and emerges at night to search for small invertebrates. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bivalve pearlfish?

The Bivalve pearlfish has a snake-like body and is mainly white.

Where does the Bivalve pearlfish live?

The Bivalve pearlfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Bivalve pearlfish get?

The Bivalve pearlfish grows to a maximum of about 10 cm.

Is the Bivalve pearlfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Bivalve pearlfish is harmless to humans.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Schelp-parelvis sourced
English name
Bivalve pearlfish sourced
Scientific name
Onuxodon fowleri
Family
Carapidae
Other names
Bivalve pearlfish; Fowler's pearlfish; Pearlfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
10.0 verified
Body shape
Snake-like sourced
Dominant colour
White sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
30.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Carapidae

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