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Butterfishes and Relatives: Stromateoidei - Physical Characteristics, Butterfishes And Their Relatives And People, Butterfish (peprilus Triacanthus): Species Account - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION, CONSERVATION STATUS

BUTTERFISH (Peprilus triacanthus): SPECIES ACCOUNT

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Butterfishes and their relatives live in the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans.

HABITAT

Butterfishes and their relatives live in the ocean well offshore, close to the shore, or in large bays. Adults live in deeper waters, either on the bottom or in open water in middle depths. The young usually live near the surface, sometimes among jellyfishes.

DIET

Butterfishes and their relatives mostly eat invertebrates (in-VER-teh-brehts), or animals without a backbone. Some species eat small fish.

BEHAVIOR AND REPRODUCTION

Scientists know little about the behavior of butterfishes and their relatives other than that some of these fishes live among jellyfishes. Many species form schools. Some gather under floating wreckage and buoys and around boats. Butterfishes and their relatives release large numbers of eggs into open water. These fishes probably spawn once a year.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Butterfishes and their relatives are not threatened or endangered.

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