Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; non-migratory; depth range ? - 100 m (Ref. 53324). Subtropical; 23°S - 48°S, 68°W - 41°W
Southwest Atlantic: Sao Paulo, Brazil to Golfo San Jorge, Argentina.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 27569); common length : 48.6 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 27363); max. published weight: 10.0 kg (Ref. 27569)
Dorsal spines (total): 4 - 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24 - 27; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 22 - 24. Body pale brown with several dark brown vertical and horizontal stripes composed of dark brown blotches. A row of dark brown blotches on middle of dorsal fin membrane. An obvious black blotch on base of upper lobe of caudal fin (Ref. 27363).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
Found on rocky and sandy bottoms in coastal waters (Ref. 53324). Oviparous with low batch fecundity (Ref. 53324). "We frequently catch P. semifasciata off the Rio de Janeiro coast. I have personally seen fish of 24 kg, with fish in the 12-18 kg range being fairly common (Capt. Eduardo Baumeier, pers. comm., 2001)." Ref. 27569 gave 10 kg as maximum weight.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Rosa, I.L. and R.S. Rosa, 1997. Systematic revision of the South American species of Pinguipedidae (Teleostei, Trachinoidei). Revta Bras. Zool. 14(4):845-865. (Ref. 27569)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
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