Piper gurnard

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Piper gurnard
Trigla lyra.jpg
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Triglidae
Subfamily: Triglinae
Genus: Trigla
Linnaeus, 1758
Species:
T. lyra
Binomial name
Trigla lyra
Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms [2]

The piper gurnard (Trigla lyra), also known as the piper or the lyre gurnard, is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the only species in the monotypic genus Trigla.

Contents

Taxonomy

The piper gurnard was first formally described in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his Systema Naturae with its type locality given as "British Seas". [2] It is the only species in the monotypic genus Trigla which is classified within the subfamily Triglinae, within the family Triglidae. [3] In 1883 David Starr Jordan and Charles Henry Gilbert designated this species as the type species of the genus Lyra, which was not thought to be monotypic at that time. [4] The genus name, Trigla, is a classical name for the red mullet ( Mullus barbatus ), Artedi thought the red mullet and the gurnards were the same as fishes from both taxa are known to create sounds taken out of the water as well as being red in colour. Linnaeus realised they were different and classified Trigla as a gurnard, in contradiction of the ancient usage. The specific name lyra means "lyre", an allusion Linnaeus did not explain, it may refer to the protuberances, plates and spines of the head together creating a lyre-like shape when looked at from above. [5]

Description

The piper gurnard has a large head bearing numerous spines and ridges, but lacking a deep occipital groove. The first dorsal fin has between 8 and 10 spines, the forward edge of the first dorsal fin spine is smooth. Both the second dorsal and the anal fin contain 15 or 16 soft rays. There are no scales on the breast and the belly is only partially covered in scales. The scales in the lateral line are small and tubular. [6] The caudal fin is slightly concave. The pelvic fins are well developed and have a single spine and 5 soft rays. The pectoral fins are even larger, reaching up to the front rays of the second dorsal fin and the lower 3 rays are separate, thickened and fingerlike, as is typical of the gurnards. [7] The upper body us red in colour while the lower body is pale. The anal and pectoral fin membranes are dusky, marked with small blue spots. [6] The maximum published total length for this species is 60 cm (24 in), although 30 cm (12 in) is more usual. [3]

Distribution and habitat

The piper gurnard is found in the eastern Atlantic from Scotland south to Walvis Bay in Namibia, including the Macaronesian Islands and the Gulf of Guinea Islands, it is found in the Mediterranean Sea but not the Black Sea. [1] It is a deepwater demersal fish found at depths as deep as 700 m (2,300 ft) and prefers sandy and muddy substrates. [3]

Biology

The piper gurnard has a diet dominated by crustaceans, especially the neritic species, like schools of shrimps, but also benthic species, such as crabs and hermit crabs. It will also eat echinoderms , particularly the brittle stars, polychaetes and the small benthic fishes. Sexual maturity is attained at around 30 cm (12 in) and the pelagic eggs are spawned in the summer months. The larvae are already armoured with bony plates and some spines. These fish may live for up to 7 years. [7]

Fisheries

The piper gurnard is not targeted, and not exported, in the eastern central Atlantic but it is caught and consumed on local scales. However, in the Mediterranean this species is subjected to a commercial fishery and is a regular item for sale in markets in Morocco, Greece and Turkey, ad occasionally elsewhere. the flesh is sold fresh or refrigerated. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triglidae</span> Family of fishes

Triglidae, commonly known as gurnards or sea robins, are a family of bottom-feeding scorpaeniform ray-finned fish. The gurnards are distributed in temperate and tropical seas worldwide.

<i>Chelidonichthys</i> Genus of fishes

Chelidonichthys, the smallscaled gurnards, is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. These gurnards are found in the Eastern Atlantic, Indian and Western Pacific Oceans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spiny red gurnard</span> Species of fish

The spiny red gurnard is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This species is found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean where they occur at depths of from 25 to 615 metres. This species grows to a length of 40 centimetres (16 in) TL. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grey gurnard</span> Species of fish

The grey gurnard is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Black Sea. It is caught as a food fish and is known for producing sounds. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Eutrigla.

<i>Prionotus</i> Genus of fishes

Prionotus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, one of two genera belonging to the subfamily Prionotinae, the searobins. These fishes are found in the Western Atlantic Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean, in the waters off both North and South America.

<i>Pterygotrigla</i> Genus of fishes

Pterygotrigla is a genus of genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins, one of two genera belonging to the subfamily Pterygotriglinae. These gurnards are found in the Indian and Pacific oceans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Red gurnard</span> Species of fish

The red gurnard, also known as the East Atlantic red gurnard or soldier, is a benthic species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This fish is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea.

<i>Peristedion</i> Genus of fishes

Peristedion is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Peristediidae, the armoured gurnards or armored sea robins. These fishes are found in Atlantic and Indo-West Pacific ocean waters.

Bovitrigla is a monotypic genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins, one of two genera belonging to the subfamily Pterygotriglinae. Its only species, Bovitrigla acanthomoplate, is found in the western Pacific Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Streaked gurnard</span> Species of fish

The streaked gurnard, also known as the African gurnard or rock gurnard, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This fish is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and western Indian Ocean. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape gurnard</span> Species of fish

The Cape gurnard is a species of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This species is found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean and the southwestern Indian Ocean. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.

The longfin gurnard, the long-finned gurnard or shining gurnard, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This fish is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, including the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.

The lesser gurnard, or Quekket's gurnard, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This species is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean and marginally in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean. This species is of commercial importance as a food fish.

<i>Pterygotrigla arabica</i> Species of fish

Pterygotrigla arabica is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This fish is found in the northern Indian Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Triglinae</span>

Triglinae is a subfamily of demersal, marine ray-finned fishes, part of the family Triglidae, the gurnards and searobins. These gurnards are found in all the tropical and temperate oceans of the world except for the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackspotted gurnard</span> Species of fish

The blackspotted gurnard, also known as the half-spotted gurnard, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large-scaled gurnard</span>

The large-scaled gurnard is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

<i>Lepidotrigla papilio</i> Species of fish

Lepidotrigla papilio, the spiny gurnard, butterfly gurnard, Eastern spiny gurnard or Southern spiny gurnard. is a species of demersal marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. This species is endemic to Australia.

<i>Lepidotrigla spiloptera</i>

Lepidotrigla spiloptera, the spotwing gurnard, spotfin gurnard or red-fringed gurnard, is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution.

<i>Peristedion cataphractum</i> Species of marine ray-finned fish

Peristedion cataphractum, the African armoured gurnard, the mailed gurnard or armed gurnard, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Peristediidae, the armoured gurnards or armored sea robins. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Nunoo, F.; Poss, S.; Bannermann, P. & Russell, B. (2015). "Trigla lyra". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2015: e.T198756A15598070. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T198756A15598070.en . Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Trigla". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  3. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Trigla lyra" in FishBase . FGebruary 2022 version.
  4. ↑ Jordan, D. S. and C. H. Gilbert (1883). "Synopsis of the fishes of North America". Bulletin of the United States National Museum (16): 1–1018.
  5. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (10 June 2021). "Order Perciformes (Part 12): Suborder Triglioidei: Families Triglidae and Peristediidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  6. 1 2 J-C Hureau. "Piper gurnard (Trigla lyra)". Fishes of the NE Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Marine Species Identification Portal. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  7. 1 2 Giuseppe Mazza. "Trigla lyra". Monaco Nature Encyclopedia. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
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