South Africa country information

Common names: White steenbras, Witsteenbras
Occurrence: native
Salinity: brackish
Abundance: abundant (always seen in some numbers) | Ref: van der Elst, R.P. and F. Adkin (eds.), 1991
Importance: commercial | Ref:
Aquaculture: | Ref:
Regulations: | Ref:
Uses: gamefish: yes;
Comments: Ranges from the Orange River mouth to Natal. Stock sound; a prime angling species; also caught commercially in beach seines (Ref. 4332). Also Ref. 3507, 4517, 5213, 12484.
National Checklist:
Country Information: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/resources/the-world-factbook/geos/sf.html
National Fisheries Authority:
Occurrences: Occurrences Point map
Main Ref: Smith, J.L.B. and M.M. Smith, 1986
National Database:

Common names from other countries

Marbré du Cap, Herrera del Cabo, Erla, ... more

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) > Sparidae (Porgies)
Etymology: Lithognathus: Greek, lithos = stone + Greek, gnathos = jaw (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Cuvier.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; brackish; benthopelagic; amphidromous (Ref. 51243); depth range ? - 150 m (Ref. 27121). Subtropical; 22°S - 31°S

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Southeast Atlantic: known only from the Orange River mouth to Natal, South Africa.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m 54.0 range ? - ? cm
Max length : 200 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3198); common length : 65.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3507)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Silvery in color, crossbars fade with age.

Found over sandy substrate, in estuaries and oceanic waters. Enters lagoons (Ref. 3198). Feeds bottom invertebrates, including worms, crabs and shrimp (Ref. 27121). Spawns in the sea but uses estuaries as nursery grounds. Prime angling fish. Important food fish. Sold fresh and whole in markets.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator | Collaborators

Bauchot, M.-L. and M.M. Smith, 1984. Sparidae. In W. Fischer and G. Bianchi (eds.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Indian Ocean (Fishing Area 51). volume 4. [var. pag.] FAO, Rome. (Ref. 3507)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)

Endangered (EN) (A2bcd; B2ab(ii,v)); Date assessed: 04 December 2009

CITES (Ref. 128078)

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes

FAO(Fisheries: production; publication : search) | FishSource | Sea Around Us

More information

Trophic ecology
Food items
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Ecology
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Population dynamics
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Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
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Life cycle
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Distribution
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BRUVS - Videos

Anatomy
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Physiology
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Swimming type
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Visual pigment(s)
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Genetics
Genetics
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Human related
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Stamps, coins, misc.

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Check for Aquarium maintenance | Check for Species Fact Sheets | Check for Aquaculture Fact Sheets

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Summary page | Point data | Common names | Photos

Internet sources

Estimates based on models

Preferred temperature (Ref. 115969): 12.5 - 24.1, mean 15.7 (based on 28 cells).

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82804): PD₅₀ = 0.5625 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01549 (0.00939 - 0.02556), b=3.04 (2.90 - 3.18), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).

Trophic level (Ref. 69278): 3.1 ±0.1 se; based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.1).

Fishing Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): High to very high vulnerability (72 of 100).

Climate Vulnerability (Ref. 125649): Very high vulnerability (78 of 100).

Price category (Ref. 80766): Low.

Lithognathus lithognathus (Cuvier, 1829)