Leerfish

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Leerfish
Temporal range: Late Ypresian to present
Lichia amia.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Carangiformes
Suborder: Carangoidei
Family: Carangidae
Subfamily: Trachinotinae
Genus: Lichia
Cuvier, 1816
Species:
L. amia
Binomial name
Lichia amia
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Synonyms [2]
  • Scomber amiaLinnaeus, 1758
  • Caesiomorus amia(Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Caranx amia(Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Hypacantus amia(Linnaeus, 1758)
  • Centronotus vadigo Lacépède, 1801
  • Campogramma vadigo(Lacepède, 1801)
  • Scomber flexuosus Lichtenstein, 1823
  • Porthmeus argenteus Valenciennes, 1833

The leerfish or garrick (Lichia amia) is a species of marine fish in the family Carangidae. It is the only extant member of the genus Lichia. It is native to much of the eastern Atlantic Ocean, from the Mediterranean and western Black Sea, north to France, and south along the coastal waters of western Africa, reaching as far south as eastern South Africa. [2] [3] [4] They are an important species in coastal recreational fisheries, especially in Africa. [5] [6]

These fish can reach 1.5 m in length and more than 30 kg [ citation needed ] in weight. They inhabit the coastal wave zone where they form small shoals to hunt other smaller fish, favouring mullets. In South Africa, they primarily breed in estuaries and move to marine environments after maturation. [5]

Phylogenetic evidence suggests that a deep genetic divergence exists between leerfish populations in South Africa and Angola, likely divided by the Benguela Current. It has thus been recommended that these populations be managed as two independent stocks. [6]

An extinct relative, Lichia veronensis Bannikov, 1990, is known from the Early Eocene-aged Monte Bolca site of Italy, suggesting that the genus has inhabited its present range for nearly 50 million years. Another extinct species, Lichia alta Gorjanovic-Kramberger, 1891, is known from the Oligocene of Slovenia. Fossil Lichia remains tentatively assigned to the extant L. amia are known from the late Miocene (Messinian) of Italy, in the midst of the Messinian Salinity Crisis. This suggests that the extant L. amia must have diverged from its extinct relatives prior to this point, and that pockets of ocean likely persisted in the Mediterranean during this period of time. [7] [8]

Related Research Articles

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<i>Eoplectus</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Eoplectus is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine tetraodontiform fish that lived during the Eocene. It contains a single species, E. bloti from the Early Eocene-aged Monte Bolca site of Italy. It is the only member of the family Eoplectidae. It closely resembled pufferfishes and porcupinefishes, which it was related to.

<i>Aeoliscoides</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Aeoliscoides is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish that lived from the early Eocene. It is known from a single species, A. longirostris, from the famous Monte Bolca site of Italy. It was a member of Centriscidae, making it a relative of modern shrimpfish and snipefish. Its name references its close resemblance to the extant shrimpfish genus Aeoliscus.

Aulostomoides is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine ray-finned fish from the early Eocene. It contains a single species, A. tyleri from the Monte Bolca site of Italy. It is thought to be a member of Aulostomoidea, making it a relative of trumpetfish and cornetfish.

Calamostoma is an extinct relative of the ghost pipefish that lived during the early Eocene. It contains a single species, C. lesiniforme from the famous Monte Bolca site of Italy. It is one of the few known fossil ghost pipefishes. Calamostoma and the other Bolca solenostomid, Solenorhynchus, are both placed in the extinct subfamily Solenorhynchinae.

Aulorhamphus is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine ray-finned fish that lived from the early to middle Eocene. It contains four species known from the Early Eocene of Italy and the Middle Eocene of Russia. It was an aulorhamphid, an extinct family of syngnathiform fishes.

Anguilloides is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine eel that lived in the early Eocene. It contains a single species, A. branchiostegalis. Fossils are known from the famous Monte Bolca site of Italy.

<i>Bolcyrus</i> Extinct genus of prehistoric marine eel

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<i>Ductor</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Ductor is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine ray-finned fish that lived during the early Eocene. It contains a single species, D. vestenae, known from the famous Monte Bolca site of Italy. It is the only member of the family Ductoridae. It is the earliest representative of the suborder Echeneoidei, and is thought to be most closely related to cobias and dolphinfish.

<i>Acanthonemus</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Acanthonemus is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine ray-finned fish that lived from the early Eocene. It contains a single species, A. subaureus, known from the famous Monte Bolca site in Italy. It is the only genus in the extinct family Acanthonemidae.

<i>Eolactoria</i> Extinct species of fish

Eolactoria is an extinct genus of highly unusual prehistoric boxfish from the Eocene. It contains a single species, E. sorbinii from the Ypresian-aged Monte Bolca site in Italy.

<i>Carangopsis</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Carangopsis is an extinct relative of the bluefish that lived during the early Eocene. It contains two species, both from the famous Monte Bolca site of Italy.

<i>Carangodes</i> Genus of fishes (fossil)

Carangodes is an extinct genus of prehistoric ray-finned fish that lived during the early Eocene. It contains a single species, C. bicornis, from the famous Monte Bolca site in Italy. It is the only known member of the extinct perciform family Carangodidae.

<i>Eoplatax</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Eoplatax is an extinct genus of prehistoric spadefish that lived during the Early Eocene. It contains a single species, E. papilio, from the Ypresian-aged Monte Bolca site of Italy. As its name suggests are closely allied to the extant genus, Platax, more commonly known as "batfish."

<i>Dalpiazella</i> Extinct genus of fishes

Dalpiazella is an extinct genus of prehistoric marine eel from the Eocene of Europe. It contains a single species, D. brevicauda, from the late Ypresian-aged Monte Bolca lagerstatten of Italy. It is though to be closely related to the sympatric genus Paranguilla, with both genera together constituting the family Paranguillidae.

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<i>Cyclopoma</i> Extinct genus of fishes

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Trachinotinae</span> Subfamily of ray-finned fishes

Trachinotinae is a subfamily of the family Carangidae, the jacks and pompanos.

The Eocene-aged Monte Bolca fossil site near Verona, Italy was one of the first lagerstatte to be discovered to science, and still has one of the most prominent vertebrate faunas of all Cenozoic lagerstatte. It has the highest fish diversity of all known Cenozoic fossil sites, with many fossils having extremely detailed preservation. In addition, a very high diversity of marine invertebrates & land plants and a small number of land vertebrates are also known.

References

  1. ↑ de Morais, L.; Smith-Vaniz, W.F.; Sagna, A.; Djiman, R.; Camara, K.; Carpenter, K.E.; Nunoo, F.; Sidibé, A.; Sylla, M.; Williams, A.B.; Montiero, V. (2015). "Lichia amia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T198642A43159295. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T198642A43159295.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Lichia amia". FishBase . August 2019 version.
  3. ↑ Van Der Elst, R. (1993). A Guide to the Common Sea Fishes of Southern Africa. Struik Publishers. ISBN   1-86825-394-5.
  4. ↑ Black Sea Fishes Check List Archived 2011-01-25 at the Wayback Machine
  5. 1 2 Murray, Taryn S.; Cowley, Paul D.; Bennett, Rhett H.; Childs, Amber-Robyn (2018). "Fish on the move: connectivity of an estuary-dependent fishery species evaluated using a large-scale acoustic telemetry array". Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. 75 (11): 2038–2052. doi:10.1139/cjfas-2017-0361. ISSN   0706-652X.
  6. 1 2 Henriques, R; Potts, WM; Sauer, WHH; Shaw, PW (2012-12-01). "Evidence of deep genetic divergence between populations of an important recreational fishery species, Lichia amia L. 1758, around southern Africa". African Journal of Marine Science. 34 (4). doi:10.2989/1814232x.2012.749809. ISSN   1814-232X.
  7. ↑ Carnevale, G.; Bannikov, Alexandre F.; Marramà, G.; Tyler, James C.; Zorzin., R. (2014). "The Bolca Fossil-Lagerstätte: A window into the Eocene World. 5. The Pesciara- Monte Postale Fossil-Lagerstätte: 2. Fishes and other vertebrates. Excursion guide" (PDF). Rendiconti della Società Paleontologica Italiana. 4 (1): i–xxvii. hdl:10088/25678.
  8. ↑ Carnevale, Giorgio; Caputo, G.; Landini, D. (2008). "A leerfish (Teleostei, Carangidae) from the Messinian evaporites of the Vena del Gesso basin (Romagna Apennines, Italy): Paleogeographical and paleoecological implications". Bollettino della Società Paleontologica Italiana. 47 (2).


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