Pachymetopon grande

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Pachymetopon grande
Bronzeseabream.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Spariformes
Family: Sparidae
Genus: Pachymetopon
Species:
P. grande
Binomial name
Pachymetopon grande
Günther, 1859
Synonyms [2]

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.

Contents

Taxonomy

Pachymetopon grande was first formally described in 1859 by the German-born British herpetologist and ichthyologist Albert Günther with its type locality given as the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa. [3] Günther classified this species in a new monospecific genus Pachymetopon and this species is the type species of that genus by momotypy. [4] The genus Pachymetopon is placed in the family Sparidae within the order Spariformes by the 5th edition of Fishes of the World . [5] Some authorities classify this genus in the subfamily Boopsinae, [6] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sparidae. [5]

Etymology

Pachymetopon grande has the specific name grande which means "large", an allusion that Günther did not explain but it may refer to the large prituberance between the eyes or the large body size of this species. [7]

Description

Pachymetopon grande has a rather rotund, deep body which has a standard length that is 2 to 2.3 times its depth. The dorsal profile of the head is smoothly convex with a slight protuberance in front of the eyes. The dorsal fin is supported by 11 spines and between 11 and 13 soft rays while the anal fin contains 3 spines and 10 or 11 soft rays. The overall colour of the body is bronze, paler on the belly and breast, with an iridescent blue head and blue pectoral fins. [8] This species has a maximum total length of 65 cm (26 in), although 35 cm (14 in) is more typical. [2]

Distribution and habitat

Pachymetopon grande is endemic to Southern Africa where it is distributed from Southern Mozambique to False Bay in the Western Cape., it has also been recorded off southern Madagascar. It is found in shallow waters of less than about 25 m (82 ft) in rocky areas. [8]

Biology

Pachymetopon grande is an omnivore which grazes on algae and benthic invertebrates, juveniles feed on crustaceans to a greater extend than the adults. It is a rudimentary hermaphrodite but its gonochoristic, attaining sexual maturity when it is around 5.5 years old. Spawing occurs between January and June in the Eastern Cape and in winter in KwaZulu-Natal. It probably spawns in small aggregations and spawning takes place in the mornings and evenings. The adults are sedentary. [1]

Fisheries and conservation

Pachymetopon grande is heavily targeted by recreational fishers from the shore and by spear fishers but is not commercially targeted, although it is caught by subsistence fishers in the Eastern Cape. As a slow growing, late maturing, long lived, sedentary species this fish is vulnerable to overexploitation and there appears to have been a marked decline in numbers. There is a minimum size of 30 cm (12 in) and a bag limit of 2 fish per day for anglers. This species responds well to protection and numbers increase in Marine protected areas. The IUCN classify this fish as a Near-threatened species. [1]

Related Research Articles

<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.

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

The saddled seabream, also called the saddle bream or oblade, is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. It is the only species in the monospecific genus Oblada. This species is found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean. It is an important food fish within its range.

<i>Boops</i> Genus of fishes

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.

<i>Chrysoblephus gibbiceps</i> Species of seabream endemic to South Africa

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<i>Chrysoblephus laticeps</i> Species of seabream endemic to southern Africa

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<i>Diplodus</i> Genus of fishes

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

<i>Acanthopagrus</i> Genus of fishes

Acanthopagrus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, the sea breams and porgies. The fish in this genus are found in the Indian and western Pacific Oceans.

<i>Cheimerius</i> Genus of fishes

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.

<i>Chrysoblephus puniceus</i> Species of fish

Chrysoblephus puniceus, the slinger seabream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. This species is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean where it is endemic to Southern Africa.

<i>Crenidens</i> Genus of fishes

Crenidens is a small genus of three species of seabream from the family Sparidae from the western Indian Ocean. It was previously regarded as monotypic, with the sole species being the Karenteen sea bream Crenidens crenidens but two other species are now accepted as valid species, separate from the type species, C. crenidens.

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

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<i>Argyrozona</i> Carpenter seabream, a fish in the family Sparidae

Argyrozona is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and progies. Its only species is Argyrozona argyrozona, the carpenter seabream or doppie, which is endemic to the waters off southern South Africa.

<i>Diplodus hottentotus</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Diplodus capensis</i> Species of fish

Diplodus capensis, the Cape white seabream or blacktail seabream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. This fish is found around the coasts of Southern Africa.

<i>Chrysoblephus anglicus</i> Species of seabream endemic to South Africa

Chrysoblephus anglicus, the Englishman seabream, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, the seabreams and porgies. This fish is endemic to Southern Africa.

<i>Chrysoblephus</i> Genus of fish

Chrysoblephus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, the sea breams and porgies. The fish in this genus are found in the western Indian Ocean and southeastern Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Chrysoblephus cristiceps</i> Species of fish

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.

<i>Gymnocrotaphus</i> Seabream endemic to South Africa

Gymnocrotaphus is a monospecific genus of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. The only species in the genus is the Gymnocrotophus curvidens, the Janbruin, an endemic to the coasts of South Africa.

<i>Boopsoidea</i> Species of sea breeam (fish)

Booposoidea 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 Boopsoidea inornata, the Fransmadam or Karel grootoog, which is endemic to the southwestern Indian Ocean off South Africa.

<i>Pachymetopon</i> Genus of fishes

Pachymetopon is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Sparidae, which includes the seabreams and porgies. The species in this genus are endemic to Southern Africa.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Mann, B.Q.; Buxton, C.D. & Carpenter, K.E. (2014). "Pachymetopon grande". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2014: e.T170208A1293651. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170208A1293651.en . Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2023). "Pachymetopon grande" in FishBase. October 2023 version.
  3. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Pachymetopon". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  4. ↑ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Sparidae". Catalog of Fishes . California Academy of Sciences . Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  5. 1 2 Nelson, J.S.; Grande, T.C.; Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 502–506. doi:10.1002/9781119174844. ISBN   978-1-118-34233-6. LCCN   2015037522. OCLC   951899884. OL   25909650M.
  6. ↑ Parenti, P. (2019). "An annotated checklist of the fishes of the family Sparidae". FishTaxa. 4 (2): 47–98.
  7. ↑ Christopher Scharpf (12 January 2024). "Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 6): Families GERREIDAE, LETHRINIDAE, NEMIPTERIDAE and SPARIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
  8. 1 2 Yukio Iwatsuki and Phillip C Heemstra (2022). "Family Sparidae". In Phillip C Heemstra; Elaine Heemstra; David A Ebert; Wouter Holleman; and John E Randall (eds.). Coastal Fishes of the Western Indian Ocean (PDF). Vol. 3. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. pp. 284–315. ISBN   978-1-990951-32-9.
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