Rubyfish

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Rubyfish
PlageogenRubingin1AMS.jpg
specimen from Sydney Fish Market
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Acanthuriformes
Family: Emmelichthyidae
Genus: Plagiogeneion
Species:
P. rubiginosum
Binomial name
Plagiogeneion rubiginosum
(F. W. Hutton, 1875)
Synonyms
  • Therapon rubiginosusF. W. Hutton, 1875

The rubyfish (Plagiogeneion rubiginosum), also known as the cosmopolitan rubyfish, red ruby or ruby rover, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, belonging to the family Emmelichthyidae, the rovers, bonnetmouths and rubyfishes. This species is found from the southeastern Atlantic Ocean off South Africa through the Indian Ocean to the southwestern Pacific Ocean around Australia and New Zealand. This species is commercially important.

Contents

Taxonomy

The rubyfish was first formally described in 1875 as Therapon rubiginosus by the English-born New Zealand geologist and biologist Frederick Hutton with its type locality given as the coast of Otago in New Zealand. [2] In 1890 Henry Ogg Forbes reclassified T. rubiginosus in a new monospecific genus Plagiogeneion making this species the type species of that genus. [3] Plagiogeneion is classified withion the family Emmelichthyidae in the order Acanthuriformes. [4]

Etymology

The specific name rubiginosum means "rusty" and refers to the overall reddish colour of this fish. [5] As Forbes's generic name Plagiogeneion is neuter the ending of Hutton's specific name had to be altered to -um. [6]

Description

The rubyfish has a moderately elongated body with a single continuous dorsal fin and a strongly forked caudal fin, with a highly protrusible mouth. [7] The dorsal fin is supported by 12 or 13 spines and 10 or 11 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 10 soft rays. The body has a depth of between 27% and 34% of the standard length. [8] The head and upper body are red with a silvery lower body [9] and blackish tips to the caudal fin. This species reaches a maximum published total length of 60 cm (24 in). [10]

Distribution and habitat

The rubyfish is found in the southeastern Atlantic over the Vema Seamount to the west of Cape Town, and Walvis Bay in Namibia. In the Indian Ocean it is found off Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape, around Île Saint-Paul and Île Amsterdam and east to southern Australia and New Zealand. [10] In Australia its range extends from West of Bunbury, Western Australia, along the tempareate southern coast to Cape Byron, New South Wales, including Tasmania. [8] It is a bathydemersal fish found at depths of from 50 to 600 m (160 to 1,970 ft), near sand or mud bottoms, typically in the vicinity of the edge of the continental shelf and around seamounts. The juveniles are epipelagic and as they mature the descend into deeper waters. [8]

Biology

The rubyfish spawns in late spring up to early summer. It is a long lived species which has been estimated to reach 85 years of age. [11] The adults prey on larger zooplankton caught near the bottom. [8]

Fisheries

Rubyfish is an important species for major fisheries in New Zealand and the South Pacific. In some area, this species is fished for over deep sea seamounts. [1] The catch is sold fresh or as frozen fish and it is reputed to be highly palatable. [10]

Related Research Articles

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

Emmelichthyidae is a small family of small to medium-sized marine ray-finned fishes known commonly as rovers, bonnetmouths or rubyfishes.

<i>Emmelichthys nitidus</i> Species of fish

Emmelichthys nitidus, the Cape bonnetmouth, bonnetmouth, redbait, pearl fish, picarel, red baitfish, red herring or Southern rover, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Emmelichthyidae, the rovers and bonnetmouths. This species is found in the Indian and Pacific oceans. This species is of minor importance to commercial fisheries.

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

The scaly gurnard is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the south-western Pacific Ocean.

<i>Argyrosomus</i> Genus of fishes in the drum family, Sciaenidae

Argyrosomus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums. The fish in this genus are large and are commonly targeted as game fish.

<i>Notothenia</i> Genus of fishes

Notothenia is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Nototheniidae, the notothens or cod icefishes with the species in this genus often having the common name of rockcod. They are native to the Southern Ocean and other waters around Antarctica.

<i>Platax pinnatus</i> Species of fish

Platax pinnatus, also known as the longfin batfish, pinnate spadefish, pinnate batfish, pinnatus batfish, dusky batfish, shaded batfish, or red-faced batfish is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Ephippidae, the spadefishes and batfishes. This species is found in the western Pacific Ocean and occasionally is kept in marine aquariums.

Notoliparis is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Liparidae, the snailfishes. These fishes are found in deep Oceanic trenches in the South Atlantic South Pacific and Southern Oceans.

<i>Zanclorhynchus spinifer</i> Species of fish

Zanclorhynchus spinifer, also known as the Antarctic horsefish or spiny horsefish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Congiopodidae, the horsefishes or pigfishes. This fish is found in the Southern Ocean where it occurs at depths of from 5 to 400 metres. This species grows to a length of 40 centimetres (16 in) TL and is of minor importance to the commercial fishery industry.

<i>Zanclorhynchus</i> Genus of fishes

Zanclorhynchus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Congiopodidae, the pigfishes or horsefishes. These fishes are found in the Southern Ocean.

<i>Emmelichthys</i> Genus of fishes

Emmelichthys is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Emmelichthyidae, the rovers and bonnetmouths. The species in this genus are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

<i>Erythrocles</i> Genus of fishes

Erythrocles is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Emmelichthyidae, the rovers, bonnetmouths or rubyfishes. The fishes in this genus are found in the western Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.

<i>Plagiogeneion</i> Genus of fishes

Plagiogeneion i is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Emmelichthyidae, the rovers, bonnetmouths or rubyfishes. The fishes in this genus are found in the southeastern Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.

Nototheniops is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Nototheniidae, the notothens or cod icefishes. The species in this genus are native to the Southern Ocean.

<i>Bairdiella</i> Genus of fishes

Bairdiella is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. These fishes are found in the western Atlantic and eastern Pacific Ocean.

<i>Atractoscion</i> Genus of fishes

Atractoscion is a genus of marine ray-finned fished belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. The fishes in this genus are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.

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

Pterygotrigla polyommata, the latchet, butterfly gurnard, flying gurnard, lachet gurnard, pastry, sharpbeak gurnard, spiny gurnard or spinybeak gurnard, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the southeastern Indian and southwestern Pacific Oceans.

<i>Argyrosomus hololepidotus</i> Species of fish

Argyrosomus hololepidotus, also known as the Madagascar meagre or southern meagre, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. The species is endemic to Madagascar and the Indian Ocean.

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

The Japanese rubyfish also known as the Pacific rover or dusky rover, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Emmelichthyidae, the rovers, bonnetmouths and rubyfishes. This fish is found in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.

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

The geelbeck croaker, also known as the African weakfish or Cape salmon, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This species is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean off southeastern Africa.

The yellowtail croaker, also known as the yellowtail jewfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This species is found in the soutwestern Pacific Ocean off northern Australia and southern New Guinea. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Austronibea.

References

  1. 1 2 Al Abdali, F.S.H.; Al Buwaiqi, B.; Al Kindi, A.S.M.; et al. (2019). "Plagiogeneion rubiginosum". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2019: e.T123426979A123494667. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T123426979A123494667.en . Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  2. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Plagiogeneion". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Emmelichthyidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  4. ↑ J. S. Nelson; T. C. Grande; M. V. H. Wilson (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Wiley. pp. 497–502. ISBN   978-1-118-34233-6.
  5. ↑ Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara, eds. (9 March 2023). "Series Eupercaria (Incertae sedis): Families Callanthidae, Centrogenyidae, Dinopercidae, Emmelichthyidae, Malacanthidae, Monodactylidae, Moronidae, Parascorpididae, Sciaenidae and Sillagidae". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 12 April 2023.
  6. ↑ N. V. Parin (1991). "Three new species of the bentho-pelagic fish genus Plagiogeneion from the southern Pacific and Indian oceans (Teleostei: Emmelichthyidae)". Proceedings of the Biological Society of Washington. 104 (3): 459–467.
  7. ↑ Mark McGrouther (22 February 2021). "Cosmopolitan Rubyfish, Plagiogeneion rubiginosum (Hutton, 1875)". Australian Museum. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 4 Bray, D.J. (2020). "Plagiogeneion rubiginosum". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 14 April 2023.
  9. ↑ Philip C. Heemstra (2022). "Family Emmelichthyidae, Rovers". In P.C. Heemstra; et al. (eds.). Coastal fishes of the western Indian Ocean. Volume 4 (PDF). South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. pp. 25–28. ISBN   978-1-990951-31-2.
  10. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2023). "Plagiogeneion rubiginosum" in FishBase . February 2023 version.
  11. ↑ McMillan, P.J.; Francis, M.P.; James, G.D.; et al. (2011). New Zealand fishes. Volume 1: A field guide to common species caught by bottom and midwater fishing. New Zealand Aquatic Environment and Biodiversity Report. Vol. 68. Ministry of Fisheries, Wellington. p. 227. ISSN   1176-9440.
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