| Diplodus hottentotus | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Spariformes |
| Family: | Sparidae |
| Genus: | Diplodus |
| Species: | D. hottentotus |
| Binomial name | |
| Diplodus hottentotus (A. Smith, 1844) | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Diplodus hottentotus, the zebra, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish is found in the Western Indian Ocean off Southern Africa.
Diplodus hottentotus was first formally described in 1844 as Sargus hottentotus in 1844 by the Scottish surgeon, explorer, ethnologist and zoologist Andrew Smith with its type locality given as the southeastern coast of South Africa. This taxon was previously considered to be a subspecies of the D. cervinus but is now considered to be a valid species. [3] There are two disjunct populations of this “cervinus“ type seabreams in Southern Africa, one in southern Angola, and the other in southern and eastern South Africa and Mozambique, the population in the southeastern Atlantic off southern Angola is of uncertain taxonomy. [4] The genus Diplodus is placed in the family Sparidae within the order Spariformes by the 5th edition of Fishes of the World . [5] Some authorities classify this genus in the subfamily Sparinae, [6] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sparidae. [5]
Diplodus hottentotus has the specific name hottentotus, a latinisation of the pejorative term hottentot, a name given by the original Dutch colonists to the Cape to the indigenous people of that region. In this case it is thought to be geographical, referring to the South African coast. [7]
Diplodus hottentotus has a deep, oval and compressed body with a depth that fits into the standard length between 2 and 2.3 times. The dorsal fin is supported by 11 spines and 12 or 13 soft rays while the anal fin is supported by 3 spines and 11 soft rays. There are 15 fin rays on the pectoral fins. The upper jaw has 10 or 12 incisor-like teeth in the front of the upper jaw and 8 in the lower jaw. The background colour of the body is bright yellow with 5 wide vertical dark bars along the back and flanks, the snout is black and the gill cover is grey. The fins are grey too, except in juveniles which have a pink caudal fin with a black bar at its base. [8] The maximum published total length for this species is 60 cm (24 in), although 30 cm (12 in) is more typical. [2]
Diplodus hottentotus is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean off the south and eastern coasts of South Africa and southern Mozambique. There is a disjunct population in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean off Angola which may be taxonomically distinct. [1] [4] The zebra is a sedentary fish that is found in rocky habitats from the surf-zone as deep as 120 m (390 ft) in submarine canyons. The juveniles are also very sedentary and occur on shallow reefs in below the low tide mark, gullies, tidal pools and in the mouths of estuaries. [1]
Diplodus hottentotus feed on a variety benthic invertebrates and specialise in preying on polychaetes and amphipoda as adults. This species is a rudimentary hermaphrodite but is functionally gonochoristic with 50% of the fish being sexually mature at a fork length of 28 cm (11 in) and 6 years of age. The spawning season runs from August to December, in the Eastern Cape spawning peaks in October and occurs on inshore reefs. [1]
Diplodus hottentitus has palatable flesh but freshly caught fish emit a nauseating smell. [8] In South Africa this species cannot be sold and may only be caught in recreational fisheries. [1]
The panga, or panga seabream is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Pterogymnus. This species is endemic to the coasts of South Africa. The panga is an important species in commercial line fisheries off South Africa.
The saddled seabream, also called the saddle bream or oblade, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Oblada. This species is found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is an important food fish within its range.
Diplodus sargus, the sargo, common white seabream, or white seabream is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and in the Mediterranean Sea. It is a target species for commercial fisheries and is grown in aquaculture. D. sargussensu lato was formerly thought to be a widespread species in the eastern Atlantic and western Indian Oceans but the taxa outside of D, sargussensu stricto are now recognised as valid species and are part of the D. sargus species complex.
Diplodus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. These fishes are found in the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the western Indian Ocean.
Diplodus vulgaris, the common two-banded sea bream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean. It is an important species for fisheries and is grown in aquaculture.
Rhabdosargus sarba, also known as the goldlined seabream, silver bream, tarwhine, or yellowfin bream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.
Diplodus cervinus, the zebra sea bream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the temperate north eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Rhabdosargus is a genus of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. These fishes are found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean and throughout the Indo-West Pacific, although mainly in the western Indian Ocean.
Polysteganus is a genus of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. The fishes in this genus are found in the Indian Ocean.
Polyamblyodon gibbosum, the knife-back seabream or cristie, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is endemic to the southwestern Indian Ocean.
The banded seabream is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is endemic to Cape Verde in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
Diplodus prayensis, the two-banded seabream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is endemic to the Cape Verde Islands.
Diplodus capensis, the Cape white seabream or blacktail seabream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish is found around the coasts of Southern Africa.
Rhabdosargus globiceps, the white stumpnose or go-home fish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish is endemic to the waters off Southern Africa.
Rhabdosargus thorpei, the bigeye stumpnose, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. The bigeye stumpnose is endemic to the southwestern Indian Ocean.
Chrysoblephus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, the sea breams and porgies. The fish in this genus are found in the western Indian Ocean and southeastern Atlantic Ocean.
Spondyliosoma emarginatum, the steentjie seabream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean and the southwestern Indian Ocean off South Africa and maybe Madagascar.
Pachymetopon is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. The species in this genus are endemic to Southern Africa.
Pachymetopon grande, the bronze seabream or blue hottentot, is a species of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean. It is an important spoecies for recreational fisheries in South Africa and for subsistence fisheries too.
Polyamblyodon is a genus of marin ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. The fishes in this genus are found in the Western Indian Ocean.
