Higher classification Percoidea | Phylum Chordata Scientific name Kuhliidae Rank Family | |
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Genus KuhliaT. N. Gill, 1861 Similar Kuhlia rupestris, Prochilodus, Kuhlia mugil, Semaprochilodus, Spotted flagtail | ||
Flagtail prochilodus feeding
The flagtails (āhole or āholehole in the Hawaiian language) are a family (Kuhliidae) of perciform fish of the Indo-Pacific area. The family consists of several species in one genus, Kuhlia. Most are euryhaline and often found in brackish water, but the genus also includes species restricted to marine or fresh water.
Contents
- Flagtail prochilodus feeding
- Flagtail prochilodus in 180 gallon fish tank
- Description
- Species
- References
Several species are known as Hawaiian flagtails, particularly K. sandvicensis and K. xenura.
Flagtail prochilodus in 180 gallon fish tank
Description
The distinctive characteristic of these fish is a scaly sheath around the dorsal and anal fins. The dorsal fin is deeply notched between the 10 spines and the 9 to 13 soft rays. The opercle has two spines, and the anal fin three. Their bodies are compressed and silvery, and they tend to be small, growing to 50 cm at most.
During the day, they usually school, dispersing at night to feed on free-swimming fish and crustaceans.
Species
The currently recognized species in this genus are:
