Giant hawkfish

==Description==

==Description==

The giant hawkfish has a deep body which is not highly laterally compressed. They have large heads with a blunt snout and have a fringe of [[Cirrus (biology)|cirri]] on the posterior margin of the anterior nostril. They have a moderately large mouth with two types of teeth, an outer row of canines and an inner row of villiform teeth. There are also teeth on the centre and sides of the roof of the mouth. The upper margin of the [[preoperculum]] either has small serrations or is smooth and the gill cover has 2 flattened spines. They have a continuous [[dorsal fin]] which has 10 spines, the membranes between the spines having deep notches and the tip of each spine has a large tuft of cirri, and 11-12 soft rays with a small incision separating the spiny portion from the soft rayed portion. The [[anal fin]] contains 3 spines and 5-7 soft rays. The [[caudal fin]] is trubcate. The lower 7 [[pectoral fin]] rays are robust, with deeply incised membranes and these are notably longer than other pectoral fin rays. The upper 1 and lower 7 pectoral fin rays are unbranched. The [[pelvic fin]] has a single spine and 5 soft rays and has its origin behind the base of the pectoral fin. The scales are smooth, the intraorbital space lacks scales and there are fewer than 12 irregular scale rows, made up of small scales, on the cheeks. There are 41-49 scales on the [[lateral line]].<ref name = STRI>{{cite web | url = https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/sftep/en/thefishes/species/1592 | title = Species: Cirrhitus rivulatus, Giant hawkfish, Hieroglyphic hawkfish | access-date = 16 July 2021 | work = Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system | publisher = Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute}}</ref> This species attains a maximum total length of {{cvt|60|cm}} and a maximum published weight of {{cvt|4.2|kg}},<ref name = Fishbase/> although the [[International Game Fish Association]] recognises the largest specimen as {{cvt|5.58|kg}} caught in 2019 off Ecuador.<ref name = mf/> It is the largest species in the hawkfish family.<ref name = STRI/> The overall colour is greyish brown with 5 vertical bars on the body, each made up of a complex of golden brown markings, each with a black margin which in turn has narrow bright blue edges. The head has thick, golden-brown bands which also have black margins bordered by slender blue edges, eadiating out from the eyes. Most individuals have a pair of white spots on the posterior part of the back. The juveniles have an overall white body marked with dark brown bars.<ref name = mf>{{cite web | url = https://mexican-fish.com/giant-hawkfish/ | title = Giant Hawkfish | access-date = 16 July 2021 | publisher = Mexican Fish}}</ref>

The giant hawkfish has a deep body which is not highly laterally compressed. They have large heads with a blunt snout and have a fringe of [[Cirrus (biology)|cirri]] on the posterior margin of the anterior nostril. They have a moderately large mouth with two types of teeth, an outer row of canines and an inner row of villiform teeth. There are also teeth on the centre and sides of the roof of the mouth. The upper margin of the [[preoperculum]] either has small serrations or is smooth and the gill cover has 2 flattened spines. They have a continuous [[dorsal fin]] which has 10 spines, the membranes between the spines having deep notches and the tip of each spine has a large tuft of cirri, and 11-12 soft rays with a small incision separating the spiny portion from the soft rayed portion. The [[anal fin]] contains 3 spines and 5-7 soft rays. The [[caudal fin]] is truncate. The lower 7 [[pectoral fin]] rays are robust, with deeply incised membranes and these are notably longer than other pectoral fin rays. The upper 1 and lower 7 pectoral fin rays are unbranched. The [[pelvic fin]] has a single spine and 5 soft rays and has its origin behind the base of the pectoral fin. The scales are smooth, the intraorbital space lacks scales and there are fewer than 12 irregular scale rows, made up of small scales, on the cheeks. There are 41-49 scales on the [[lateral line]].<ref name = STRI>{{cite web | url = https://biogeodb.stri.si.edu/sftep/en/thefishes/species/1592 | title = Species: Cirrhitus rivulatus, Giant hawkfish, Hieroglyphic hawkfish | access-date = 16 July 2021 | work = Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system | publisher = Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute}}</ref> This species attains a maximum total length of {{cvt|60|cm}} and a maximum published weight of {{cvt|4.2|kg}},<ref name = Fishbase/> although the [[International Game Fish Association]] recognises the largest specimen as {{cvt|5.58|kg}} caught in 2019 off Ecuador.<ref name = mf/> It is the largest species in the hawkfish family.<ref name = STRI/> The overall colour is greyish brown with 5 vertical bars on the body, each made up of a complex of golden brown markings, each with a black margin which in turn has narrow bright blue edges. The head has thick, golden-brown bands which also have black margins bordered by slender blue edges, eadiating out from the eyes. Most individuals have a pair of white spots on the posterior part of the back. The juveniles have an overall white body marked with dark brown bars.<ref name = mf>{{cite web | url = https://mexican-fish.com/giant-hawkfish/ | title = Giant Hawkfish | access-date = 16 July 2021 | publisher = Mexican Fish}}</ref>

==Distribution and habitat==

==Distribution and habitat==