Information About

Nurseryfish




  Name Nurseryfishes
  Regnum Animal ia
  Phylum Chordata
  Classis Actinopterygii
  Ordo Perciformes
  Familia '''Kurtidae'''
  Genus '''''Kurtus'''''
  Genus Authority Bloch , 1786
  Subdivision Ranks Species


The nurseryfishes or '''forehead brooders''' are a family ('''Kurtidae''') of Fish that are notable for carrying their egg clusters on hooks protruding from the forehead ( Supraoccipital ) of the males. The family consists of just two species in the single genus '''''Kurtus'''''.

In addition to the egg hook, the kurtid Gas Bladder is enclosed in a tubular bony structure evolved from the ribs. In both species the back is elevated into a hump shape.

Despite their unusual reproductive habits, little is known about these species; they do not survive long in Aquaria . Tim Berra of Ohio State University has published several papers.


SPECIES

The nurseryfish, ''Kurtus gulliveria'' Castelnau , 1878, occurs in Mangrove Swamp s, Estuaries and slow-moving turbid rivers of Australia and New Guinea . It can grow to 63 cm.

The Indian hump head, ''Kurtus indicus'' Bloch , 1786 is found in marine waters from India 's Coromandel Coast to Borneo . It is known to reach only 12.6 cm in length.


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