Blotcheye Soldierfish (Myripritis berndti)
- Max. Length
- 30 centimeters
- Length at 1st Maturity
- 18.5 centimeters
- Depth Range
- 3 – 159 meters (10 – 520 feet) usually from 3 – 15 meters (10 – 50 feet)
- Frequency
- Abundant in the world’s tropical reefs
This is the fish that you usually see in Cocos island that takes shelter under rocky ledges or any overhead structure that provides space underneath. Aside from knowing their hiding place, you can easily identify a blotcheye soldierfish through its laterally compressed body that is oval in shape. They are basically colored silver-pink with a dash of pale yellow undertone.
With regards to its fins, variation in color in every fin part is persistent in this species where you can see a yellow-orange dorsal fin while the remaining pectoral, pelvic, anal and caudal fins are colored red with white undertone. If you can have a closer view of them, you will notice that there is a black shading on the gill cover just above the pectoral fin.
Night Vision Eyes
If there is one body feature that stands out in a blotcheye soldierfish, then it is the size of their eyes. Their visual apparatus occupies about a third of the length of its head which is slightly bigger than its mouth. And its not just about the size. Their black-colored pupils occupies more than half of their eye’s circumference. This is due to the fact that a blotcheye soldierfish is a nocturnal fish where all these visual features leads to a night vision capability.
Their visual prowess at night easily allows them to catch food where they prefer to eat smaller fish, juvenile crabs and baby squids. If there is one manifestation about the efficiency of their eyes, then it is the testimony of fishermen saying that a blotcheye soldierfish can easily be fish out at night using a baited rod.
While you are in Cocos island, please do not take advantage on the above-mentioned information and go fishing for blotcheye soldierfish. Despite having this knowledge, this does not permit you to fish or catch blotcheye soldier, or any species, where all the resources in Cocos island are now being protected by law.
A Subject for Stamp Collection in Costa Rica
Due to the popularity of a blotcheye soldierfish and for its prominent body features to be easily drawn and sketched out on paper, the Postal Service of Costa Rica has featured this species in their August 2006 stamp collection. This is in connection with the commitment of the country’s Postal Service to feature nature’s wealth where nine other species that can be found in Cocos island are also featured in their stamp collection.
Reference
Fishbase: www.fishbase.org
World Register of Marine Species: www.marinespecies.org
IUCN Redlist of Threatened Species: www.iucnredlist.org
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXIVqmjBWME
Video courtesy from Paul McWilliams
