Pearlfish
Family of fishes
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- 3 chapters
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Through Ocean, Tropics and Atlantic Ocean
Characteristics
Pearlfishes are slender, distinguished by having dorsal fin rays that are shorter than their anal fin rays. They have translucent, scaleless bodies reminiscent of eels. The largest pearlfish are about 50 cm (20 in) in length. They reproduce by laying oval-shaped eggs, about 1 mm in length.
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Ecology
Pearlfishes are unusual in that the adults of most species live inside various types of invertebrates. They typically live inside clams, sea cucumbers, starfish, or sea squirts, and are simply commensal, not harming their hosts. However, some species are known to be parasitic towards sea cucumbers, eating their gonads and other internal organs. Pearlfish usually live alone, or in pairs.
Regardless of the habits of the adults, the larvae of pearlfish are free-living among the plankton. Pearlfish larvae can be distinguished by the presence of a long filament in front of their dorsal fins, sometimes with various appendages attached.
Genera
The genera are divided into three major groupings based on their level of symbiosis: