Teleostei (teleosts) >
Acropomatiformes (Oceanic basses) >
Pempheridae (Sweepers)
Etymology: Parapriacanthus: Greek, para = near + Greek, prion = saw + Greek, akantha = thorn (Ref. 45335); punctulatus: Name from Latin 'punctulatus' for dotted; referring to the profusion of dark dots on the side of the body below the lateral line that extend well posterior to the origin of the anal fin; these dots are more evident on preserved specimens than in life..
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 16 - 61 m (Ref. 107896). Tropical
Distribution
Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri
Western Indian Ocean: wide-ranging from South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal) and Mozambique to the Comoro Islands, northern Madagascar, Seychelles, the Mascarene Ridge, and the Mascarene Island of Réunion.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 6.7 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 107896); 5.0 cm SL (female)
Short description
Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal spines (total): 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 20 - 23. This species is characterized by the following: D VI,9; A III,21 (20-23); pectoral-fin rays 16 (15-17); lateral-line scales 69 (63-72); scale rows above lateral line to base of dorsal fin 5.5; gill rakers 24 (23-26, modally 25); body depth 3.2 (3.25-3.35) in SL, width 2.1 (2.0-2.2) in body depth; depth of caudal-peduncle 10.4 (8.9-9.6) in SL; head length 2.95 (2.8-2.9) in SL; snout length 11.4-13.0 in SL; mouth forming an angle of about 60° to horizontal axis of body; sharply conical, recurved teeth in 2 irregular rows in upper row more forward-projecting, those of second row more strongly recurved; similar smaller teeth in lower jaw, well-spaced, in a single row; very small, incurved, sharply conical teeth in a single irregular row on vomer and palatines; thin lips, covered with closely adjacent papillae; tongue broadly triangular, indented indented on side near tip, forming a small, half-round, flexible flap; predorsal length 2.3 (2.3-2.4) in SL; first dorsal-fin soft ray is longest, 5.3 (4.7-5.4) in SL; caudal fin forked with fin length 4.5 (3.6-4.3) in SL; pectoral-fin length 3.5 (3.25-3.6) in SL; prepelvic length 2.7 (2.5-2.7) in SL; pelvic fins not reaching the anus, fin length 5.9 (5.1-6.5) in SL; preanal length 1.5 (1.5-1.6) in SL; without a pin-like dark line anterior to anus; instead a very dark blue band with a median dull pink streak that narrows anteriorly; black iris in preserved holotype (Ref. 107896).
Stomach contents include a half-digested polychaete about 45 mm by 5 mm, along with copepods, crustacean larvae, and small fishes (Ref. 107896).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Randall, J.E. and S.V. Bogorodsky, 2016. Preliminary review of the pempherid fish genus Parapriacanthus of the western Indian Ocean, with descriptions of five new species. J. Ocean Sci. Found. 20:1-24. (Ref. 107896)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5005 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01479 (0.00642 - 0.03409), b=3.02 (2.82 - 3.22), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.3 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
