Scatophagus argus
| Spotted scat | |
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Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Scatophagidae |
| Genus: | Scatophagus |
| Species: | S. argus
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| Binomial name | |
| Scatophagus argus (Linnaeus, 1766)
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| Synonyms[2] | |
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Scatophagus argus, the spotted scat, butterfish, mia mia, spotted butterfish or tiger scat, is a species of fish in the scat family Scatophagidae. It occurs in two basic color morphs which are called green scat and ruby or red scat. This fish is generally distributed around the Indo-Pacific region, to Japan, New Guinea, and southeastern Australia. They live in coastal muddy areas, including estuaries, mangroves, harbours, and the lower courses of rivers.[3] They are popular aquarium fish.
Taxonomy
Scatophagus argus was first formally described in 1766 as Chaetodon argus by Carl Linnaeus with the type locality given as India.[4] In 1831 Georges Cuvier described the genus Scatophagus and Linnaeus's C. argus was designated as its type species.[5] The specific name argus refers to the mythical hundred-eyed guardian of Io, Argus, who following his death had his eyes became the feathers of a peacock, a reference to the brown to reddish-brown spots on the body of this fish.[6]
Description
Scatophagus argus has a body which is strongly compressed. The dorsal head profile is steep, with a rounded snout. The body is greenish-brown to silvery with many brown to red-brown spots. Spines and rays of the dorsal fin are separated by a deep notch. Small ctenoid scales cover the body. Juveniles are a greenish-brown with either a few large, dark, rounded blotches, or five or six dark, vertical bars.[3]
Since S. argus can live in embayment regions, as well as quite far upstream in freshwater rivers, they can adapt to varying salinities. As fry, they live in freshwater environments, but as they mature, they move to saltwater environments. They do not live in temperate waters, as they require at least a little warmth (21 to 28 °C).[7]
The spotted scat is omnivorous and an indiscriminate eater. In 1992, biologists Barry and Fast reported adult scat from the Philippines were primarily herbivorous, while the juveniles preferred zooplankton. Although scat were named for their purported habit of feeding on offal, the name of the genus Scatophagus means "dung eater".[6] it may be a misnomer as this behaviour has not been confirmed in diet studies.[3]
Distribution and habitat
Scatophagus Argus has a wide Indo-Pacific range. It is foundfrom the Persian Gulf, along the south Asian coast into the western Pacific. It occurs as far north as Japan south to New South Wales, New Caledonia, and Fiji. It has also been recorded from French Polynesia.[1] It has become established in the Mediterranean Sea around Malta, probably as a result of released aquarium fishes.[8]
As a food source
Scatophagus argus is fished for and eaten by some people from its original environment, and can sting with small spikes in its anterior parts, inflicting a venom that causes great pain and dizziness. Treatment of the wound is often done by soaking the infliction in hot water.[9]
Parasites
Scatophagus argus harbors parasites, like most fish. The acanthocephalan worm Pararhadinorhynchus magnus has been described from the intestine of this fish in waters off Vietnam.[10]
References
- ^ a b Collen, B.; Richman, N.; Beresford, A.; Chenery, A. & Ram, M. (Sampled Red List Index Coordinating Team) (2010). "Scatophagus argus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T155268A4761779. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T155268A4761779.en. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Scatophagus argus". FishBase. June 2021 version.
- ^ a b c "scat (Scatophagus argus) - FactSheet". Nas.er.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Scatophagus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Scatophagidae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
- ^ a b Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (12 January 2021). "Order Acanthuriformes (part 2): Families Ephippidae, Leiognathidae, Scatophagidae, Antigoniidae, Siganidae, Caproidae, Luvaridae, Zanclidae and Acanthuridae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
- ^ "Scatophagus argus". Aquaticcommunity.com. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
- ^ Zammit, E. & Schembri, P. J. (2011). "An overlooked and unexpected introduction? Occurrence of the spotted scat Scatophagus argus (Linnaeus, 1766) (Osteichthyes: Scatophagidae) in the Maltese Islands". Aquatic Invasions. 6( (Supplement 1): S79–S83. doi:10.3391/ai.2011.6.S1.018.
- ^ Gisha Sivan; K. Venketesvaran; C.K. Radhakrishnan (15 September 2007). "Biological and biochemical properties of Scatophagus argus venom". Toxicon. 50 (4). Elsevier Ltd: 563–571. doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2007.05.002. PMID 17599379.
- ^ Van Ha, Nguyen; Amin, Omar M.; Ngo, Ha Duy; Heckmann, Richard A. (2018). "Descriptions of acanthocephalans, Cathayacanthus spinitruncatus (Rhadinorhynchidae) male and Pararhadinorhynchus magnus n. sp. (Diplosentidae), from marine fish of Vietnam, with notes on Heterosentis holospinus (Arhythmacanthidae)". Parasite. 25: 35. doi:10.1051/parasite/2018032. ISSN 1776-1042. PMC 6057740. PMID 30040609.
