Bridled Seabream

description

Description. Body deep and compressed, its depth ranging 44.6 – 49.5 % of SL; head large, 34 – 35 % of SL; anterodorsal profile ascending gently, occipital profile weakly curved, eye moderate in size, orbit diameter 8 – 9.5 % of SL; mouth somewhat oblique, lips thick; maxilla reaching to vertical below middle of pupil or little beyond; upper jaw length 12 – 17 % of SL, lower jaw slightly included; cheek scales in 6 – 7 transverse rows; dorsal-fin spines strong, first spine smallest and slightly higher than half-length of 2 nd, 2 nd clearly shorter than 3 rd, 4 th and 5 th spine longest; first dorsal-fin ray shorter than longest spine; first anal-fin spine short (5.2 – 6.9 % of SL), much less than eye diameter (8.1 – 9.5 % of SL), 2 nd spine longest (13.5 – 20 % of SL), 3 rd anal-fin spine (12.9 – 15 % of SL) less than first anal-fin ray; pectoral-fins (41 – 43 % of SL) longer than head length, tip reaching beyond vertical at second or third anal-fin spine base; pelvic-fin clearly shorter than head, pelvic-fin spine (15.4 – 19 % of SL) longer than snout.

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records

diagnosis

Diagnosis. Acanthopagrus catenula is distinguishable from other Acanthopagrus species by following combination of characters: two conspicuous vertical black bars across the head, the first anterior one passing through eye and the second posterior bar from nape to operculum; dorsal-fin with black margin, hind margin of caudal fin with narrow and light black edge which usually disappear with the growth; dorsal-fin rays XI, 12; analfin rays III, 10; pored lateral line scales 47 – 48; scale rows above and below lateral line 4 ½ – 5 ½ and 12 – 13 ½, respectively; scale rows between the fifth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 4 ½ – 5 ½; no scales on preopercular flange; gill rakers 17 – 19, 8 – 11 on the lower limb; 2 nd anal-fin spine (2 AS) slightly longer than 3 rd anal-fin spine, its ratio (2 AS / 3 AS) is 1.0 – 1.3; least infraorbital depth 5.6 – 6.8 % of SL; upper jaw and lower jaws usually with 4 – 6 distinct incisor – like teeth in juveniles, 4 middle one becoming considerably larger and curved, forming canines in adults; molariform teeth strongly developed along both jaws, first to third rows of outer molar teeth extending to rear end of each side of upper and lower jaws.

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records

discussion

Remarks. The sparid species Acanthopagrus catenula has recently been resurrected as valid species by Iwatsuki and Heemstra (2011). Acanthopagrus bifasciatus is distributed in Red Sea (Israel, Egypt, Eriteria, and Saudi Arabia), Persian Gulf (Bahrain and Kuwait), and off southern Oman (not Gulf of Oman) whereas A. catenula is found in east coast of Africa, off the Horn of Africa to off Socotra Island of Somalia, including Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius, Rodriguez, Mascarene Islands and Madrakah, southern Oman. Iwatsuki and Heemstra (2011) believe that the area of southern Oman and Somalia is the zone of contact of A. catenula and A. bifasciatus. This record of A. catenula from Pakistan extends the range of this species and likely represents the northeastern record. The other distribution record for A. catenula is provided by Jawad et al. (2012) from the Oman Sea (Gulf of Oman). All the earlier workers presumably lumped A. catenula into A. bifasciatus, which was described from a specimen collected from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Red Sea by Forsskål (1775). According to Iwatsuki and Heemstra (2011), this species is not likely to occur in India, but it was reported f

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records

distribution

Distribution. Western Indian Ocean: Pakistan and Oman to South Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius and Rodriguez.

The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records