Misplaced Pages

Shortfin false moray
Biofluorescence of Kaupichthys brachychirus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Anguilliformes
Family:	Chlopsidae
Genus:	Kaupichthys
Species:	K. brachychirus
Binomial name
Kaupichthys brachychirus L. P. Schultz, 1953

The shortfin false moray (Kaupichthys brachychirus) is an eel in the family Chlopsidae. It was described by Leonard Peter Schultz in 1953. It is a tropical, marine eel which is known from American Samoa, Samoa, Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Indonesia, the Marshall Islands, New Caledonia, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Wallis and Futuna. It typically dwells in seaward and lagoon coral reefs at an approximate depth of 43 m. Males can reach a maximum total length of 13 centimetres (5.1 in).

The shortfin false moray exhibits biofluorescence, that is, when illuminated by blue or ultraviolet light, it re-emits it as green, and appears differently than under white light illumination. Biofluorescence may assist in intraspecific communication and camouflage.

Owing to its wide distribution, and lack of knowledge of threats or observed population declines, the IUCN Redlist currently lists the shortfin false moray as Least Concern.

References

1. ^ Fricke, R. (2010). Kaupichthys brachychirus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T155141A4728007.en
2. Common names for Kaupichthys brachychirus at www.fishbase.org.
3. ^ Kaupichthys brachychirus at www.fishbase.org.
4. Schultz, L. P., E. S. Herald, E. A. Lachner, A. D. Welander and L. P. Woods, 1953 Fishes of the Marshall and Marianas islands. Vol. I. Families from Asymmetrontidae through Siganidae. Bulletin of the United States National Museum No. 202, v. 1: i-xxxii + 1-685, Pls. 1-74.
5. Sparks, John S.; Schelly, Robert C.; Smith, W. Leo; Davis, Matthew P.; Tchernov, Dan; Pieribone, Vincent A.; Gruber, David F. (2014). "The Covert World of Fish Biofluorescence: A Phylogenetically Widespread and Phenotypically Variable Phenomenon". PLOS ONE. 9 (1): e83259. Bibcode:2014PLoSO...983259S. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0083259. PMC 3885428. PMID 24421880.

• Media related to Kaupichthys brachychirus at Wikimedia Commons

This Anguilliformes article is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

• v
• t
• e

• IUCN Red List least concern species
• Chlopsidae
• Taxa named by Leonard Peter Schultz
• Fish described in 1953
• Anguilliformes stubs