Silver Black Porgy

description

Description. Body compressed and nearly cylindrical; mouth somewhat oblique, lips thick; snout somewhat pointed, two nostrils just in front of both eyes; upper jaw protruding slightly in front of lower jaw; maxilla reaching to bellow mid eye level (pupil or center of orbit); at front of each jaw, 4 – 6 enlarged, fang-like, conical teeth, outer series of lateral teeth conical and compressed with parallel rows of villiform teeth; least suborbital depth is much shorter than eye diameter, 6 (6 – 7) transvers rows of scales on cheek; anterodorsal profile ascending somewhat gently from mouth to eyes and above; profile of fish body is somewhat arched; Head and eyes moderately large; no scales on preopercular flange; its posterior margin weakly serrated; low scaly sheath on soft dorsal and anal-fin ray bases; dorsal-fin spines strong, first one is smaller (4.5 – 6.0 % of SL), fourth one is longer (13 – 19 % of SL); first anal-fin spine short (4 – 12 % of SL); 2 nd and 3 rd anal-fin spine subequal (11 – 14 % of SL); pectoral-fin long nearly equal to head length, pelvic-fin spine longer than snout length; caudal fin forked and both lobes are pointed.

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Following combination of characters distinguishes this species: dorsal-fin rays XI, 11 – 12; anal-fin rays III, 8; scale rows between the 5 th dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 5 ½, scale rows between the ninth dorsal-fin spine base to lateral line 5 – 5 ½, scale rows below first dorsal spine to the lateral line 5 ½, scale rows below the lateral line 12 ½; pored lateral line scales 47 – 48; body depth 34 – 37 %, head length 32 – 33 %, snout deep 9 – 10 %, caudal peduncle length 21 – 23 % in standard length; no molariform teeth in both jaws, 4 – 6 enlarged fang-like slightly curved conical teeth at anterior portion of both jaws, villi – form teeth rows present in upper and lower jaws; 2 nd and 3 rd anal-fin spine subequal in length, ratio of 2 nd anal-fin spine / 3 rd anal-fin spine 1.0 – 1.2.

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records

distribution

Distribution. Western Indian Ocean: Persian Gulf and coasts of India.

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records

materials_examined

Color of fresh specimens. Head and dorsal part of body olive silvery, becoming silvery-white up to belly; scales are with diffused black margins that shows longitudinal and transverse narrow stripes on the body; dorsal and anal-fin rays gray to blackish, soft rays light blackish and hyaline, membranes of the dorsal and anal-fins are dusky grey; pectoral light yellow to whitish and pelvic-fins light grayish to whitish; a black spot in pectoral axilla and a diffuse black spot on beginning of lateral line; caudal fin dusky and posterior margin darker.

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records