Black Sea Bream

description

Description. Body compressed and deep, its depth 44 – 47 % of SL; head large 35 – 36 % of SL; anterodorsal profile ascending steeply, occipital profile weakly convex above eye; eye moderate in size, orbit diameter 8.5 – 10.2 % of SL; mouth slightly oblique, lips thick; maxilla reaching to middle of eye; upper jaw length 12 – 17 % of SL; lower jaw slightly short and included; in both jaws, 4 to 6 canine like relatively large, compressed and curved (slightly) teeth in front of each jaws, followed by 3 – 4 rows of molariform teeth in lower jaw and 4 – 5 rows of teeth in upper jaw. Molar teeth on posterior portion of each jaw relatively large. No scales between mouth and eye, 5 – 6 transverse rows of scales on preopercle; dorsal-fin spines hard and asymmetrical, first one is smaller (7.0 – 9.0 % of SL), third, fourth and fifth spines are sub equal (17 – 21 % of SL); first anal-fin spine short (6.0 – 8.0 % of SL), 2 nd anal-fin spine heavy and long (21 – 23 % of SL), 3 rd anal-fin spine thin and shorter (15 – 16 % of SL) than 2 nd anal-fin spine; pectoral-fin ray reaching nearly to the mid of the anal-fin base; pelvic-fin spine thin and hard, longer (19 – 20 % of SL) than snout, first p

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Distinguished from all congeners of Acanthopagrus by the following combination of characters: dorsalfin rays XI, 11; anal-fin rays III, 8 – 9; pored lateral line scales 41 – 43; scale rows above and below lateral line 3 ½ – 4 and 11 – 12, respectively; scale rows between the fifth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 3 ½; no scales on preopercular flange; total gill rakers 14 – 16, 8 – 10 on the lower limb; 2 nd anal-fin spine (2 AS) longer than 3 rd anal-fin spine, its ratio (2 AS / 3 AS) is 1.3 – 1.5 (mean 1.4); least infraorbital depth 4.2 – 4.4 % of SL; a strongly curved concavity (more so in fishes> 13 cm SL) on ventral edge of first two infraorbitals above rear end of maxilla (Fig. 2 A, B); silvery to blackish and sometime dark blackish in color.

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records

discussion

Remarks. The distributional range of Acanthopagrus berda is comparatively wider among other sparid species. This species can be distinguished from its congeners by having high body depth, 3 ½ scale rows between fifth dorsal-fin base to lateral line and a strongly curved concavity of the ventral edge of the first two infraorbitals above the rear end of the maxilla. According to Iwatsuki and Heemstra (2010), the important diagnostic characters for Acanthopagrus berda are still apparent in the holotype (ZMUC-P 50555, approximately 21 cm SL) from the Red Sea off Luhaiya, Yemen, but that holotype now comprises only the head and left side skin. There are striking variations in the color pattern of A. berda, two of these are commonly found in Pakistani specimens; Figure 2 A with silvery and brassy appearance collected from Keti Bunder, Thatta District and Figure 2 B with completely blackish color, collected from Manora, Karachi.

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records

distribution

Distribution. South Africa, Mozambique, the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, India, Pakistan, Phuket, Malaysia and near Singapore.

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records