Cape gurnard

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Cape gurnard
Cape Gurnard G Jones.jpg
Cape Point, South Africa
Cape Gurnard flashing its pectorals DSC08508.JPG
Cape gurnard flashing its pectorals
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Scorpaeniformes
Family: Triglidae
Genus: Chelidonichthys
Subgenus: Chelidonichthys
Species:
C. capensis
Binomial name
Chelidonichthys capensis
(Cuvier, 1829)
Synonyms [2]
  • Trigla capensisCuvier, 1829

The Cape gurnard (Chelidonichthys capensis) 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.

Contents

Taxonomy

The Cape gurnard was first formally described in 1829 as Trigla capensis by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with the type locality given as the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. [3] Within the genus Chelidonichthys this species is classified in the nominate subgenus. The specific name capensis refers to the type locality. [4]

Description

The Cape gurnard has two dorsal fins, the first contains 8 or 9 spines and the second has between 15 and 17 soft rays. The anal fin has between 14 and 16 soft rays. [2] The overall colour and pattern is mottled, red and brown. The pectoral fins have the 3 innermost rays separate and forming a “claw” which it uses to perch on the substrate, the rest of the pectoral fin rays are long and fan like with the inner part of the fin being dark with a vivid blue edge and marked with 3 or 4 large blue spots. The head is comparatively high and the eyes are on the top of the head. [5] The more pointed snout identifies this species in comparison to the sympatric streaked gurnard (C. lastoviza). [6] This species attains a maximum published total length of 75 cm (30 in), although 35 cm (14 in) is more typical. [2]

Distribution and habitat

The Cape gurnard is found in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean and southwestern Indian Ocean ranging from Cape Fria in Namibia to Maputo in Mozambique, as well as off southern Madagascar. It occurs at depths between 10 and 390 m (33 and 1,280 ft). [1] This demersal fish is found on sandy and muddy substrates. [6]

Biology

The Cape gurnard feeds largely on crustaceans, cephalopods and smaller fishes. This species has a long spawning season running from November to January and again in March and April, the eggs are pelagic. Spawning is at its peak in January and April. The males attain sexual maturity at 37 cm (15 in) total length at the age of 5 years, and the for the females it is at a total length of 35 cm (14 in) at an age of 4 years old. The maximum lifespan for the Cape gurnard is 16 years.< [6]

Fisheries

The Cape gurnard is one of the six main target species for trawl fisheries in the Eastern Cape and is a valued food fish. [1]

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.

<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.

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

The bluefin gurnard or Pacific red gurnard is a species of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. Its Māori names are kumukumu and pūwahaiau. It is found in the western Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean, being common around Australia and New Zealand at depths down to 200 metres (660 ft). The fish is one of the most important commercial fish species in New Zealand.

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

The tub gurnard, also known as the sapphirine gurnard, tube-fish, tubfish or yellow gurnard, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is exploited by commercial fisheries as a food fish.

<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.

<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.

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

The piper gurnard, 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.

<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.

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

The jaggedhead gurnard is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Peristediidae, the armoured gurnards or armored searobins. This species is found in the eastern Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It is the only known member of its genus.

<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.

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>Lepidotrigla kishinouyi</i> Species of fish

Lepidotrigla kishinouyi, the devil sea robin, is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the northwestern Pacific Ocean.

Lepidotrigla argus, the long-finned sea gurnard or eye gurnard, is a species of marine, demersal ray-finned fish from the family Triglidae, the gurnards and sea robins. It is found in the Indo-West Pacific Ocean.

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

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.

<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.

<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> Species of fish

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Motomura, H.; Matsuura, K. & Khan, M. (2018). "Chelidonichthys capensis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T15623244A15623507. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T15623244A15623507.en . Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  2. 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2022). "Chelidonichthys capensis" in FishBase. February 2022 version.
  3. Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Chelidonichthys". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  4. 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 8 June 2022.
  5. "Chelidonichthys capensis". Reef Life Survey. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  6. 1 2 3 "Gurnard Species: 4 of 9 different ones" (PDF). False Bay Yacht Club. Retrieved 8 June 2022.