Feeds on invertebrates, including worms, mollusks, crustaceans and echinoderms (Ref. 5213), and small fish (Ref. 3670). Protandrous hermaphrodite (Ref. 55367). The flesh is excellent. Sold fresh in markets.

Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Red Sea, Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa (country), Tanzania, Ungama Bay

Western Indian Ocean, South Africa, Mozambique, the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, India, Phuket (Andaman Sea, specimen lost), and Malaysia (Penang Island and Langkawi Island, near Singapore). Western Pacific specimens recorded as A. berda refer to Acanthopagrus pacificus (Ref. 86288).

Red Sea, Indo-West Pacific: East Africa and South Africa east to Philippines and Vanuatu, north to southern Japan, south to Northern Territory (Australia) and Queensland (Australia) and New Caledonia.

Dorsal spines (total): 11 - 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 12; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 8 - 9

Maximum size: 900 mm TL

90.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 3198)); max. published weight: 3,200 g (Ref. 3670)

This species is distinguished from all its congeners by the following characters: scale rows between fifth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 3.5; front edge of dorsal scaly area on head slightly convex, with small scales (fewer than 20) anteriorly; pored lateral-line scales 42-44; second anal-fin spine (2AS) longer than third anal-fin spine (3AS), 2AS/3AS ratio 1.23-1.50 (mean 1.36); strongly curved concavity on ventral edge of first two infraorbitals above rear end of maxilla, particularly obvious in specimens more than 13 cm SL; scales on preopercle flange absent; anal-fin membrane dark; molariform teeth strongly developed along both jaws, teeth rows strongly curved laterally at rear of lower jaw (Ref. 83673).

Found on muddy and sandy bottoms of coastal waters and estuaries. Enters freshwater. Juveniles inhabit protected bays. Feeds on invertebrates, including worms, molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms (Ref. 5213), and small fish (Ref. 3670). The flesh is excellent. Sold fresh in markets. This is a well-known angling fish in South Africa.

This taxon is one of a number of demersal species in the Zambezi River system of southern Africa. Demersal river fish are found at the river bottom, feeding on benthos and zooplankton

Nutrient levels in the Zambezi River are relatively low, especially in the upper Zambezi; in that reach, above Victoria Falls, most of the catchment drains Kalahari sands, whose nutrient levels are inherently low due to their aeolian formation; moreover, agricultural fertilizer addition throughout the Zambezi watershed is low, due to the shortage of capital available to farmers of this region.

Nitrate levels (as nitrogen) in the upper Zambezi are typically in the range of .01 to .03 milligrams per liter. Correspondingly electrical conductivity of the upper Zambezi is on the order of 75 micro-S per centimeter, due to the paucity of ion content. From the Luangwa River downstream nitrate levels elevate to .10 to .18 milligrams per liter, and electrical conductivity rises to a range of two to four times the upper Zambezi levels. Not surprisingly, pH, calcium ion concentration, bicarbonate and electrical conductivity are all higher in portions of the catchment where limestone soils predominate compared to granite.

There are a total of 190 fish species present in the Zambezi River, including eel and shark taxa. The largest native demersal species present are the 117 centimeter (cm) long tiger fish (Hydrocynus vittatus), the 175 cm African mottled eel (Anguilla bengalensis labiata), the 120 cm Indonesian shortfin eel (Anguilla bicolor bicolor), the 200 cm Giant mottled eel (Anguilla marmorata), the 150 cm African longfin eel (Anguilla mossambica), the 183 cm Sampa (Heterobranchus longifilis), the 150 cm Cornish jack (Mormyrops anguilloides) and the 700 cm largetooth sawfish (Pristis microdon).

demersal; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 10 - 50 m

Depth range based on 10 specimens in 1 taxon.
Water temperature and chemistry ranges based on 2 samples.

Environmental ranges
  Depth range (m): 1 - 24.5
  Temperature range (°C): 25.716 - 25.716
  Nitrate (umol/L): 3.447 - 3.447
  Salinity (PPS): 36.410 - 36.410
  Oxygen (ml/l): 4.264 - 4.264
  Phosphate (umol/l): 0.678 - 0.678
  Silicate (umol/l): 6.037 - 6.037

Graphical representation

Depth range (m): 1 - 24.5
 
Note: this information has not been validated. Check this *note*. Your feedback is most welcome.

Depth: 10 - 50m.
From 10 to 50 meters.

Habitat: demersal. Red Sea to East London The most common in Southern Africa is A. Vagus

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Feeds on invertebrates, including worms, mollusks, crustaceans and echinoderms (Ref. 5213), and small fish (Ref. 3670).

Procamallanus Infection 8. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Size at sex change = 19.1 TL; age at sex change = 1.95 years (Ref. 55367).

The following is a representative barcode sequence, the centroid of all available sequences for this species.


There are 9 barcode sequences available from BOLD and GenBank.  Below is a sequence of the barcode region Cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (COI or COX1) from a member of the species.  See the BOLD taxonomy browser for more complete information about this specimen and other sequences.


Download FASTA File

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 12
Specimens with Barcodes: 18
Species With Barcodes: 1

Not Evaluated

fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes