Anthiinae

Anthias
Sea goldie (Pseudanthias squamipinnis)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Serranidae
Subfamily:	Anthiinae
Genera
See text.

Perhaps the quintessential "reef" fish, anthias make up a sizeable portion of the population of pink, orange and yellow fishes we see swarming in most reef photography and film. Anthias are mostly small, peaceful, and beautiful, and are very popular within the ornamental fish trade. They form complex social structures based on the number of males and females and also their position on the reef itself, and are mainly zooplankton feeders. They occur in all tropical oceans of the world. The first species recognized in this group was described in the Mediterranean and northeast Atlantic and was given name Anthias anthias by Carolus Linnaeus in 1758.

Anthias can swarm by the thousands. Anthias do school in these large groups, though they tend toward more-intimate subdivisions within the school, appropriately called "harems", consisting of one dominant, colorful male, anywhere from 2-12 females — who have their own hierarchy among them — and up to 2 'subdominant' males, often less brightly colored and non-territorial. Within the swarm of females, territorial males perform acrobatic U-swim displays and vigorously defend an area of the reef and its associated harem.

Anthias are protogynous hermaphrodites. All anthias are born female; if a dominant male perishes, the largest female of the group will often morph to take its place. This may lead to squabbling between the next largest male, who sees an opportunity to advance, and the largest female, whose hormones are surging with testosterone. This can turn quite vicious in the limited confines of captivity.

The anthias are members of the family Serranidae (basses, basslets, groupers) and make up the subfamily Anthiinae. Seven genera of anthias are known to occur in the coral reef ecosystems: Holanthias, Luzonichthys, Nemanthias, Plectranthias, Pseudanthias, Rabaulichthys and Serranocirrhitus. Members of all these genera make it into the aquarium trade, although Pseudanthias is by far the most encountered in the hobby.

Species

• Anatolanthias
• Anthias
• Caesioperca
  • Caesioperca lepidoptera (Butterfly perch)
• Caprodon
• Dactylanthias
• Giganthias
• Hemanthias
• Holanthias
• Hypoplectrodes
• Lepidoperca
• Luzonichthys
• Nemanthias
• Odontanthias
• Othos
• Planctanthias
• Plectranthias
• Pronotogrammus
• Pseudanthias
• Rabaulichthys
• Sacura
• Selenanthias
• Serranocirrhitus
• Tosana
• Tosanoides

References

• "Anthiinae". Integrated Taxonomic Information System. 17 March. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)