| Giant Hawkfish | |
|---|---|
| Image of Cirrhitus rivulatus taken in the Galapagos Islands in 2005 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Cirrhitidae |
| Genus: | Cirrhitus |
| Species: | Rivulatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Cirrhitus Rivulatus Valenciennes, 1846 |
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Giant Hawkfish, Cirrhitus rivulatus is a subspecies of hawkfish. It is a marine fish and remains the largest of the Hawkfish family, scoring in a maximum size of 60 cm (22 in). It is known for its social behavior towards scuba divers and its uncanny ability to perch on its pectoral fins. This particular species can be found mainly along the Sea of Cortez, at the Gulf of California reaching as far as northern Colombia and the Galapagos Islands. It is a predator mostly feeding on other small fish and crustaceans.
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The Giant hawkfish has a unique body design mostly deep and compressed, with a mainly olive skin tone sporting golden stripes or bars. It is a favorite fish to observe amongst scuba diving enthusiasts diving along the Pacific coasts of Mexico. Usually remaining motionless it inhabits large boulders and rocky outcroppings at offshore islands including Isla San Pedro Nolasco near San Carlos, and Isla Tiburón near Bahía Kino.[1] Mainly occupying shallow waters not unfamiliar to high wave activity, like other hawkfishes it has a reputation for being able to perch on one of their pectoral fins, and sometimes both, perhaps obtaining its name from this. It has displayed the ability to stand up completely on its tail fin observed in aquaria. In the ocean, their pectoral fins serve a more a valuable purpose other than for swimming, it being strong enough to lock themselves in between rocks that are subject to wave surge.[2] It is not uncommon to anglers around their native region and is known to be a game fish. http://www.reel1in.com/Giant-Hawkfish.html