Saucereye porgy

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Saucereye porgy
Calamus calamus.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Spariformes
Family: Sparidae
Genus: Calamus
Species:
C. calamus
Binomial name
Calamus calamus
(Valenciennes, 1830)
Synonyms [2]
  • Pagellus calamus (Valenciennes, 1830)
  • Chrysophrys (Calamus) megacephalus Swainson, 1839
  • Pagellus orbitarius Poey, 1860

The saucereye porgy (Calamus calamus) is an ocean-going species of fish in the family Sparidae. In Bermuda, they are also known as the goat's head porgy. [3] In Jamaica, they are known as the Porgi grunt and the sugareye porgy. They may also be known simply by the name Porgy in several other Caribbean islands. Saucereye porgies are considered to be minor gamefishes and when caught are marketed both fresh and frozen. [4]

Contents

Taxonomy and naming

The Saucereye porgy was first described by the French zoologist, Achille Valenciennes in a 22-volume work entitled Histoire naturelle des poissons (Natural History of Fishes), which was a collaboration with fellow zoologist, Georges Cuvier. [5] It was first described as Pagellus calamus, being placed in the genus Pagellus . It was since moved into Calamus, this name means "quill", in an allusion to what William John Swainson described as “the second anal-fin spine, hollow, shaped as a pen" when he proposed the genus Calamus . [6]

Description

Saucereye porgies can grow up to 56 cm in length, [7] but normally they are 30 to 45 cm long. [8] [9] Though some sources state that they can weigh up to 3 lbs, [10] the largest record is only half that: 1.5 lbs. [11] The cheek area is blue with yellow spots; there is also a dark blue smudge behind the upper gill opening.

[8]

Distribution and habitat

A bed of sea grass off the coast of Florida. Floridian seagrass bed.jpg
A bed of sea grass off the coast of Florida.

Saucereyes are found only in the western Atlantic Ocean—from North Carolina, east to Bermuda, and south to Brazil. [12] They are most common around the cities of Key West and Havana. Adults are commonly found around coral reefs, where they are easily approached by divers, [13] while juveniles are common to beds of sea grass (mainly Thalassia ). Saucereyes feed on a variety of animals, such as mollusks, sea worms, brittle stars, hermit crabs, crabs and sea urchins. [12]

Relationship with humans

The Saurcereye porgy is mostly eaten by people in the West Indies, where it is most often caught. These fishes are also considered to be of minor commercial importance to the region, despite the occasional danger of ciguatera poisoning during red tide events. [14] They are usually marketed fresh or frozen. [4]

Related Research Articles

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

Sparidae is a family of ray-finned fishes belonging to the order Spariformes, the sea breams and porgies, although they were traditionally classified in the order Perciformes. They are found in shallow temperate and tropical waters around the world and are demersal carnivores.

<i>Calamus</i> (fish) Genus of fishes

Calamus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. Most of the species in this genus are found in the Western Atlantic Ocean, with 2 species occurring in the Eastern Pacific Ocean.

<i>Pagellus</i> Genus of fishes

Pagellus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. These fishes are found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea and the western Indian Ocean.

<i>Lithognathus</i> Genus of fishes

Lithognathus is a genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. Species in this genus are given the common name of steenbras. The genus is found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean from southwestern Europe to South Africa and into the southwestern Indian Ocean.

<i>Pagrus</i> Genus of fishes

Pagrus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. These fishes are found in the Western Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea. They are esteemed food fishes which are targeted by commercial fisheries and are grown in aquaculture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Round scad</span> Species of fish

The round scad is a species of fish in the Carangidae. It was described in 1829 by the French naturalist and zoologist, Georges Cuvier. Although the round scad is considered a good food fish, it is mostly caught for use as bait.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sheepshead porgy</span> Species of fish

The sheepshead porgy, also known as the littlemouth porgy or speckled porgy, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Pogonoperca punctata</i> Species of fish

Pogonoperca punctata, the spotted soapfish, bearded soapfish or leaflip grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, related to the groupers and classified within the subfamily Epinephelinae of the family Serranidae. It is found in the western Indo-Pacific region.

<i>Gymnothorax miliaris</i> Species of fish

Gymnothorax miliaris, the goldentail moray, bastard eel, or conger moray, is a species of marine fish in the family Muraenidae.

<i>Platax</i> Genus of fishes

Platax is a genus of Indo-Pacific, reef-associated fish belonging to the family Ephippidae. There are currently five known extant species generally accepted to belong to the genus. They are one of the fish taxa commonly known as "batfish".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flat needlefish</span> Species of fish

The flat needlefish, or barred longtom, the only known member of the genus Ablennes, is a marine fish of the family Belonidae. Flat needlefish are considered gamefish, frequently caught with the help of artificial lights, but are not often eaten because of their green-colored flesh.

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

The houndfish is a game fish of the family Belonidae. It is the largest member of its family, growing up to 5 feet (1.5 m) in length and 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in weight. It is also often called the crocodile needlefish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mirrorwing flyingfish</span> Species of fish

The mirrorwing flyingfish is a flying fish of the family Exocoetidae. It was first described by the French zoologist, Achille Valenciennes in a 22-volume work titled Histoire naturelle des poissons, which was a collaboration with Georges Cuvier.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic flyingfish</span> Species of fish

The Atlantic flyingfish is a flying fish in the family Exocoetidae. It was first described by the French zoologist, Achille Valenciennes in a 22-volume work entitled Histoire naturelle des poissons, which was a collaboration with fellow zoologist Georges Cuvier.

<i>Haemulon vittatum</i> Species of fish

Haemulon vittatum, the boga, is an ocean-going species of grunt native to the western Atlantic Ocean. Bogas are also known as the snit in Jamaica, and bonnetmouth in the Bahamas. It was first described by Cuban zoologist Felipe Poey. This species used to be classified as Inermia vittata, but genetic data revealed that it belongs to the genus Haemulon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jolthead porgy</span> Species of fish

The jolthead porgy is an ocean-going species of fish in the family Sparidae. In Bermuda, it is known as the blue bone porgy, in the United States, it is also known by the Spanish name bojanado, in Jamaica, it is one of the species known by the name, porgi grunt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pluma porgy</span> Species of fish

The pluma porgy, also known as the West Indian porgy, pluma or pimento grunt, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the Western Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Littlehead porgy</span> Species of fish

The littlehead porgy is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. It is only found in the western portion of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, where they are often caught and used as food.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Knobbed porgy</span> Species of fish

The knobbed porgy is an ocean-going species of gamefish of the bream/porgy family, Sparidae. They are only found in the western portion of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, where they are often caught with trawling nets or by angling, and used as food. The knobbed porgy was named by John Randall and David K. Caldwell as part of a 1966 review of the genus Calamus, which was published in the academic journal Science. Randall and Caldwell also described three other species of Calamus in the paper.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longfin grouper</span> Species of fish

The longfin grouper, also known as the longfin rockcod, bar-breasted rock-cod, Gilbert's rock-cod, honeycomb rockcod, spotted groper or wirenet cod, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Western Pacific Ocean.

References

  1. Russell, B.; Carpenter, K.E.; MacDonald, T. & Vega-Cendejas, M. (2014). "Calamus calamus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T170249A1301306. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170249A1301306.en . Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  2. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Calamus". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 2 January 2024.
  3. Zaneveld, J.S. 1983 Caribbean Fish Life. Index to the local and scientific names of the marine fishes and fishlike invertebrates of the Caribbean area (Tropical Western Central Atlantic Ocean) E.J. Brill / Dr. W. Backhuys, Leiden, 163p.
  4. 1 2 Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez 1992 Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD.
  5. Cuvier, G. and A. Valenciennes 1830 (Sept.) Historie naturelle des poissons. Tome Sixième. Livre sixième. Partie I. Des Sparoïdes; Partie II. Des Ménides. Histoire naturelle des poissons. v. 6: i-xxiv + 6 pp. + 1-559, Pls. 141-169. [Valenciennes is author of pp. 1-425, 493-559; Cuvier 426-491. i-xviii + 1-470 in Strasbourg ed.]
  6. Swainson, W. (1839). On the natural history and classification of fishes, amphibians, & reptiles, or monocardian animals. Vol. 2. London: Spottiswoode & Co.
  7. Claro, R. 1994 Características generales de la ictiofauna. p. 55-70. In R. Claro (ed.) Ecología de los peces marinos de Cuba. Instituto de Oceanología Academia de Ciencias de Cuba and Centro de Investigaciones de Quintana Roo.
  8. 1 2 Randall, J.E. and R. Vergara R. 1978 Sparidae. In W. Fischer (ed.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Central Atlantic (Fishing Area 31). FAO, Rome. Vol. 5. pag.var. Paper URL
  9. Beebe, William. John Tee-Van. Field book of the shore fishes of Bermuda. New York. G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1933. Pp 159-160.
  10. Ackerman, Bill. Handbook of Fishes of the Atlantic Seaborad. The American Publishing Company. Washington D. C. pp. 58
  11. IGFA 2001 Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
  12. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2009). "Calamus calamus" in FishBase. 10 2009 version.
  13. Lieske, E. and R. Myers 1994 Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Harper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
  14. Dammann, A.E., 1969. Study of the fisheries potential of the Virgin Islands. Special Report. Contribution No. 1. Virgin Islands Ecological Research Station.