Genus Histrio

Histrio Fischer von Waldheim, 1813

Diagnosis: body and fins covered with numerous cutaneous filaments. Pectoral fin lobe free from body. Pelvic fins large, length greater than 25% SL. Outermost rays of caudal fin simple, 7 innermost bifurcate. Dorsal finrays III + 11-13; anal finrays 6-8; pectoral finrays 9-11. Colour: colour and colour pattern highly variable; body, fins, and oral cavity streaked and/or mottled with brown and yellow interspersed with small round spots or thin white lines. Size: to 141 mm SL.

Habitat: pelagic in floating sargassum weed. Behaviour: capable of extremely rapid colour change from light to dark and vice versa, simulating surrounded sargassum weed. Highly voracious and cannibalistic.Food: no data. Reproduction: no data.

Distribution: tropical to temperate waters of Atlantic and Indo-Pacific as far west as Guam. In Clofnam area known from the Azores and Vardø, northern Norway.

Species 1.

Species of this genus in the program:
Histrio histrio

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