Sphyraena intermedia

Sphyraena intermedia
Conservation status
Data Deficient  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Carangiformes
Suborder:	Centropomoidei
Family:	Sphyraenidae
Genus:	Sphyraena
Species:	S. intermedia
Binomial name
Sphyraena intermedia Pastore, 2009

Sphyraena intermedia is a doubtfully distinct species of barracuda that was described from the Gulf of Taranto in the south of Italy in 2009. It is intermediate in size between European barracuda (S. sphyraena) and yellowmouth barracuda (S. viridensis). ^[2] They were distinguished by size and a few other differences such as different amounts of scales and certain body measurements, but is not a hybrid between the two species. ^{[3] [4]}

Taxonomy

The binomial proposed by the author is preoccupied by a fossil species described in 1889 by Francesco Bassani. ^[5] Therefore the latterly described name is invalidated and made unavailable by the ICZN under Article 57.2 ^[6]

References

1. Collette, B.; Smith-Vaniz, W.F.; Herrera, J. (2014). "Sphyraena intermedia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014 e.T42874318A45873608. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T42874318A45873608.en . Retrieved 22 January 2022.
2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Sphyraena intermedia". FishBase . January 2022 version.
3. Pastore, Michele A. (September 2009). "Sphyraena intermedia sp. nov. (Pisces: Sphyraenidae): a potential new species of barracuda identified from the central Mediterranean Sea". Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 89 (6): 1299–1303. doi:10.1017/S0025315409000575. S2CID   83523327. ProQuest   224138397.
4. Bailly, Nicolas (2012). "Sphyraena intermedia Pastore, 2009". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 2022-01-22.
5. "†Sphyraena intermedia Bassani 1889 (barracuda)". The Paleobiology Database. Retrieved 25 November 2025.
6. Ballen, G.A. (2019). "Nomenclature of the Sphyraenidae (Teleostei: Carangaria): A synthesis of fossil- and extant-based classification systems". Zootaxa. 4686 (3): 397–408. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4686.3.5.