| Spicara axillare | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Spariformes |
| Family: | Sparidae |
| Genus: | Spicara |
| Species: | S. axillare |
| Binomial name | |
| Spicara axillare (Boulenger, 1900) | |
| Synonyms [2] | |
| |
Spicara axillare, the windtoy, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the Western Indian Ocean and is endemic to South Africa.
Spicara axillare was first formally described as Caesio axillaris in 1900 by the Belgian-born British ichthyologist George Albert Boulenger with its type locality given as Buffelsbaai in False Bay in the Western Cape of South Africa. [3] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the genus Spicara in the family Sparidae within the order Spariformes by the 5th edition of Fishes of the World . [4] Some authorities classify this genus in the subfamily Boopsinae, [5] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sparidae. [4]
Spicara axillare has the genus name Spicara, which is a vernacular name for picarels, particularly S. flexuosa in Italy. This is presumed to derive from spica, “a spike”, or spicare, meaning “in the form of or furnished with a spike”, Rafinesque did not explain why he chose this name. The specific name, axillare, means axillary, a reference to the black spot at the base of the pectoral fin. [6]
Spicara axillare has its dorsal fin supported by 11 spines and 12 soft rays while there are 3 spines and 11 soft rays supporting the anal fin, there are also 17 fin rays in the pectoral fin. The pectoral and pelvic fins are scythe shaped and the caudal fin may be crescent shaped or slightly forked. The body has a depth which fits into its standard length 2.3 to 2.8 times. The swim bladder has two lobes at its rear, these lobes extend as far as the haemal spine of the 4th vertebra on the caudal peduncle. The overall colour of the body is golden, with silvery, rosy or bluish tints on the upper body. [7] The windtoy has a maximum published total length of 38 cm (15 in). [2]
Spicara axillare is endemic to South Africa where it occurs from False Bay in the Western Cape to KwaZulu-Natal. It is a pelagic-neritic species that is found at depths between 20 and 160 m (66 and 525 ft), moving closer to shore in stormy weather. [7]
The panga, or panga seabream is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Pterogymnus. This species is endemic to the coasts of South Africa. The panga is an important species in commercial line fisheries off South Africa.
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.
Pagellus bellottii, the red pandora, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the sea breams and porgies. This species is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Boops is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. There are two species in this genus, one in the Western Atlantic and Mediterranean, and the other in the Western Indian Ocean.
Spicara is a genus of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. These fishes are found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The species in the genus are known as picarels.
Wattsia is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the familyLethrinidae, the emperors and emperor breams. The only species in the genus is Wattsa mossambica, the Mozambique large-eye bream or Mozambique sea bream of the Indian and Western Pacific Oceans.
Cheimerius is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. The only species in the genus is Cheimerius nufar, the santer seabream, santer or soldier, of the Indian Ocean.
Polyamblyodon gibbosum, the knife-back seabream or cristie, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is endemic to the southwestern Indian Ocean.
Diplodus prayensis, the two-banded seabream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is endemic to the Cape Verde Islands.
Sparodon, commonly known as the white musselcracker, musselcracker seabream, mussel cracker seabream, brusher, or cracker. is a monotypic genus of fish in the family Sparidae. The type and only known species, Sparodon durbanensis, was first described and named by François Louis Nompar de Caumont de Laporte, comte de Castelnau, in 1861.
Polysteganus undulosus, the seventyfour seabream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is endemic to the southwestern Indian Ocean off Southern Africa.
Diplodus hottentotus, the zebra, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish is found in the Western Indian Ocean off Southern Africa.
Rhabdosargus thorpei, the bigeye stumpnose, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. The bigeye stumpnose is endemic to the southwestern Indian Ocean.
The kathala croaker is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sciaenidae, the drums and croakers. This species is found in the Indian Ocean off South Asia. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Kathala.
Chrysoblephus cristiceps, the daggerhead seabream or dageraad, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. This fish is endemic to the southwestern Indian Ocean and southeastern Atlantic Ocean off South Africa. This species is assessed as being Critically Endangered bt the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Pagellus natalensis, the Natal pandora, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean.
Polysteganus coeruleopunctatus, the blueskin seabream, blueskin or trawl soldier, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is endemic to the western Indian Ocean. This species has increased in importance as a target for fisheries as other more accessible fish stocks are overexploited.
Pachymetopon grande, the bronze seabream or blue hottentot, is a species of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean. It is an important spoecies for recreational fisheries in South Africa and for subsistence fisheries too.
Pagellus affinis, the Arabian pandora, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the northern Western Indian Ocean.
The Dane seabream, also known as the Dane, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. The Dane seabream is the only species in the monospecific genus Porcostoma. This species is endemic to the southwestern Indian Ocean off the coast of Southern Africa.
