HABITAT (Primary) |
Be |
Benthic |
Living on/ in the sea floor substrate |
Br |
Brackish |
Brackish water (e.g. some lagoons and estuaries) |
Co |
Coral |
Associated with coral reefs |
Cr |
Cryptic |
Hiding or camouflaged |
Dem |
Demersal |
Living close to sea floor |
EuLit |
Eulittoral |
Zone between Spring Tide High and Low water: frequently covered with water (=intertidal zone) |
EPel |
Epipelagic |
The highest layers of water (close to surface) |
F |
Freshwater |
Freshwater |
M |
Mud |
Associated with muddy bottoms |
Man |
Mangrove |
Associated with mangroves |
Pel |
Pelagic |
Free swimming |
R |
Rocks |
Rocks and boulders |
S |
Sand |
Associated with sandy bottoms. Includes Sea Grass beds. |
SubLit
|
Sublittoral |
Zone below Spring Tide Low water: Always covered with water |
SupLit |
Supralittoral |
Associated with splash zone of beach, rarely covered with water |
Ter |
Terrestial |
Primarily land-living (may use water for reproduction) |
BEHAVIOUR (ADULT)* |
I |
Individual |
Adults often living alone |
Pr |
Pair forming |
Long-term pair formation (not just for spawning) |
Sh |
Shoaling |
Often found in shoals as adults. Includes loose aggregations |
Ter |
Territorial |
Territorial (either by one sex or pairs) |
SEX (CHANGES/ PHASES) |
F |
Fixed (Gonochorism) |
No changes in sex, single sex |
PAH |
Protandric Hermaphroditism |
Male first sequential hermaphroditism |
PGH |
Protogynous Hermaphroditism |
Female first sequential hermaphroditism, including those with different Initial Phase (IP) and Terminal Phase (TP) forms |
SH |
Simultaneous Hermaphroditism |
Both male and female at the same time |
* Primary diet(s) will be listed first (secondary in brackets)
* Primary behaviour will be listed first, secondary in brackets e.g. occasional shoaling (as adults)
SIZE (MAX. ADULT) |
In cm unless specified |
DIET * |
Bry |
Bryozoans |
"Moss Animals" |
Car |
Carnivore |
Opportunistic general carnivore |
Cle |
Cleaner |
Feeds on ectoparasites on fish etc |
Cor |
Coralivore |
Specialist feeder on coral polyps |
Cru |
Crustaceans |
Feeding on crabs, shrimps etc |
Det |
Detritivore |
Decaying organic matter |
Gor |
Gorgonians |
Sea Fans, Sea whips etc |
Herb |
Herbivore |
Algal feeder (may include seagrass for some species) |
Jel |
Jellyfish |
Medusae - Free swimming Coelenterates (and poss Ctenophores) |
Mol |
Molluscs |
Molluscs (gastropds, bivalves (excludes cephalopds) |
Noct |
Nocturnal |
Primarily a nocturnal feeding species |
Omn |
Omnivore |
Plants, animals, carrion |
Pla |
Plankton |
Filter feeder |
Pisc |
Piscivore |
Feeding on fish (and squid) |
Sca |
Scavenger |
Opportunistic feeder on dead biomass |
Spo |
Sponge |
Sponges |
Tun |
Tunicates
|
Tunicates (Sea Squirsts etc)
|
Veg |
Vegetarian |
Feeding on algae |
Wor |
Worms |
Feeding on Annelid worms |
Each page on an individual species will give a brief, tabulated descriptor of various ecological parameters e.g. diet, habitat etc. Below you will find the key to the abbreviations in each column and a description of what they mean.
Note that the descriptors apply to the adult fish, with juveniles often occupying other habitats (e.g. inshore, in mangroves etc. ) and may shoal unlike adults.
Primary habitat listed. N.B. Individuals may be found in other proximate habitats.