BIOT 2021 50p Fish Series

Started by Deeman, March 04, 2021, 02:59:04 PM

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Deeman



First in a series of six. Issue limit 2,750.

The Chagos Anemone (also known as the Clownfish) is named after the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean and is endemic to the archipelago. The species forms an ecological interaction with sea anemones as it is unaffected by the stinging tentacles of the anemone. The Anemones provide protection for the fish from any predators and also provides a source of food. In return, the clownfish defends the anemone from its predators and parasites making them the perfect double act.


Deeman

The others in the series are:

Powder Blue Tang
Emperor Angelfish
Checkerboard Wrasse
Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish
Clown Triggerfish

Deeman

I am sure this series will be of interest to<k>!

<k>

Why so? I've no special interest in fish and don't enjoy eating them. I do enjoy eating their fingers, which I buy in supermarkets, but apparently they don't have fingers, so that's either a mystery or a conspiracy.  :-\
Visit the website of The Royal Mint Museum.

See: The Royal Mint Museum.

Deeman

#4
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eurocoin

The name should have been 'Chagos anemonefish' instead of 'Chagos anemone'. It is of course not an anemone. Pobjoy Mint has acknowledged the mistake, which was also missed by the government of the British Indian Ocean Territory.

Deeman

Second coin in the series now available.

Powder Blue Tang have a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. Spectacularly coloured, they have a yellow dorsal fin, powder blue body and dark face. They are found in small to large schools over reef flats and upper seaward slopes of clear coastal and island coral reefs. They are herbivores feeding on benthic algae; on small, sparsely scattered algae and small growths in crevices.
Tangs are also called Surgeonfish because of the presence of a "tail thorn", a razor-sharp spine in the tail that points outwards when bent, used for defence and is as sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, hence the name. The tail thorn is not too evident on the coin design, but can be clearly seen in the picture under post#4.

Deeman

Third coin in the series now available.

Emperor Angelfish is a species of marine angelfish that is a reef-associated fish with a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. They are found in areas where there is a rich growth of corals on clear lagoon, channel, or seaward reefs. Their diet comprises sponges and other encrusting organisms, as well as tunicates.

The fish are protogynous hermaphrodites, born as females and changing sex to males later.

Deeman

Juvenile Emperor angelfish have a dark blue body marked with concentric curving lines, alternating between pale blue and white.

Deeman

Fourth coin in the series now available to order.

Checkerboard Wrasse, also known as Marble Wrasse, have a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. They are found over drop-offs, sand patches of lagoons and seaward reefs. Wrasses are always on the go during the day, but are the first to go to bed and the last to rise. Small wrasses dive below the sand to sleep and larger wrasses wedge themselves in crevasses.
They have small protruding teeth and graze the bottom taking in a variety of snails, worms, crabs and shrimps.
From juvenile to adult wrasses dramatically alter their colour and body shapes.
Wrasses are protogynous hermaphrodites, with the fish first maturing as females (initial phase), undergoing sex change and becoming terminal males. Usually in any given area there are numerous females and a single male. If the male disappears for any reason the largest female in the area will usually change into a male.


Deeman

Fifth coin in the series now available to order.

There are 120 species of butterflyfish that can be found in tropical and subtropical regions. The attractive coloration of their bodies is the reason the species are so named. It has a bright yellow body with a black eye spot on the back of the anal fin to confuse predators. The head is black on top and a silvery white below.

But its most distinctive characteristic is the elongated snout, tipped with strong jaws that can be likened to a pair of needle nose pliers. Butterflyfish are omnivores and wielding this specially adapted beak, the Yellow Longnose Butterflyfish is quite adept at foraging in cracks and crevices for algae and seaweed, worms, small crustaceans and zooplankton. Thus, it is also commonly known as the Forceps Butterflyfish.


Deeman

Final coin in the series now available to order.

Clown Triggerfish have a wide Indo-Pacific distribution, preferring to live in shallow waters close to the coast, particularly along coral reefs. Triggerfish are so called because of the locking characteristic of the dorsal fin. The first spine is large to provide some protection from predation. When erect it remains so until the fish deflexes the smaller second spine, "triggering" the first.

These bottom dwellers dig out prey by flapping away debris with their fins and sandblasting with water squirted from their mouths. They use their strong, powerful jaws to crush shelled invertebrates, wreaking such havoc on less fortunate reef dwellers that smaller fish often follow them to feast on their leftovers.

Triggerfish are infamous for their nasty attitude and this behaviour is especially evident around nests.

From juvenile to adult the Clown Triggerfish loses its yellow saddle and changes its back colour to pale green with black spots. This fish has a form of camouflage that is similar to counter shading. From below the white spots blend in with the surface of the water. From above the fish will blend with the coral reef environment below.

eurocoin

Earlier today a special set was released of the silver coins. The pieces in the set have a privy mark. Only 60 silver pieces of each coin were minted with the privy mark. More information can be found here.