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pinecone fish
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Japanese pinecone fish pinecone fish Body plans of Beryciformes and Zeiformes.
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Japanese pinecone fish
Japanese pinecone fish Japanese pinecone fish (Monocentris japonicus).

pinecone fish

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pinecone fish, any member of either of two genera of fishes (Cleidopodus and Monocentris) belonging to the family Monocentridae (order Beryciformes), found in deepwater marine habitats of the Indo-Pacific region. The common name comes from the characteristically oval body covered with enlarged, spiny platelike scales, which thus resembles a pinecone. Luminescent organs occur on the lower jaw.

pinecone fish
pinecone fishPinecone fish (genus Monocentris).

The Japanese pinecone fish (M. japonicus) normally reaches a length of 13 cm (5 inches) and travels in schools near the ocean bottom. Although small, it is commercially important as a food fish and as a saltwater aquarium fish.

A second species (M. reedi) is known only from Isla San Felix, off the coast of Chile, and a third (M. neozelanicus) inhabits the southwestern Pacific Ocean.

Sea otter (Enhydra lutris), also called great sea otter, rare, completely marine otter of the northern Pacific, usually found in kelp beds. Floats on back. Looks like sea otter laughing. saltwater otters
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This article was most recently revised and updated by Richard Pallardy.