Boga (fish)

Boga
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Inermiidae
Genus: Inermia
Poey, 1860
Species: I. vittata
Binomial name
Inermia vittata
Poey, 1860

The Boga, Inermia vittata, is an ocean-going species of fish in the Bonnetmouth family, or Inermiidae. Bogas are also known as the Snit in Jamaica, and Bonnetmouth in the Bahamas.[1] The Boga is the only known member of the genus Inermia, and one of only two species in its family (the other being Emmelichthyops atlanticus, which is also known as the Bonnetmouth). It was first described by the Cuban zoologist Felipe Poey. The description was part of a two-volume work, which Poey published in 1860, entitled Historia Natural de la Isla de Cuba or "Natural History of the Island of Cuba".

Contents

Description

The Boga is a spindle-shaped fish. It has a deeply forked caudal fin, and its two dorsal fins are close together. Boga are also able to protrude their mouths much further than many fishes[2], hence the name Bonnetmouth.They usually have 14-15 spines on their dorsal fins, but only 10 soft rays. They have 2 spines and 9 rays on their anal fins as well[3]. The longest recorded Boga was 23 cm in length[4].

The Boga's life colors are generally greenish above, and blueish white below. A greenish stripe, tinged with yellow can be seen from the eye to the tail. There are also three similar stripes on the back. The snout and dorsal fins are both yellowish or pale yellow, while the caudal fin is dusky violet. The pectoral fins are both rosy, and the anal and ventral fins are both white [5].

Distribution and habitat

The Boga is only known from the western Atlantic ocean from Florida and the Bahamas south to northern South America, including the Antilles and the Caribbean[6].

Occurring in open water[7], Bogas are sometimes found near coasts[7] or over reefs[8], though they can mainly be found off of oceanic islands [7], where they feed on zooplankton and smaller fishes [3]. Bogas are occasionally sold fresh, and used as baitfish[3]; they are known to be preyed upon by the Red hind (Epinephelus guttatus), a member of the grouper family[2].

References

  1. ^ "Common names of ‘’Inermia vittata’’". http://www.fishbase.org/comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=3572&GenusName=Inermia&SpeciesName=vittata&StockCode=3768. Retrieved 2009-08-20. 
  2. ^ a b Randall, J.E. 1996 Caribbean reef fishes. Third edition - revised and enlarged. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Hong Kong. 3nd ed. 368 p.
  3. ^ a b c Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2009). "Inermia vittata" in FishBase. 08 2009 version.
  4. ^ Claro, R. 1994 Características generales de la ictiofauna. p. 55-70. In R. Claro (ed.) Ecología de los peces marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo.
  5. ^ Bohlke, James E. Charles C. G. Chaplin. Fishes of the Bahamas and Adjacent Tropical Waters. 2nd edition. Austin, UP of Texas. 305.
  6. ^ Smith, C.L. 1997 National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 720 p.
  7. ^ a b c Lieske, E. and R. Myers 1994 Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
  8. ^ Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez 1992 Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD.

External links