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Canary Dentex

Dentex canariensis Steindachner 1881

Diagnostic Description

provided by FAO species catalogs
Body oval, rather deep and compressed. Head profile regulary convex except for a slight hump on front; eye diameter smaller than width of suborbital space in large individuals. Cheeks scaly (7 to 9 rows); some small, scarcely visible scales also present on preopercle throughout its height. Mouth low, slightly oblique. Jaws subequal. Several rows of canine-like teeth, outer row the strongest with 4 to 6 very well developed anterior teeth in each jaw. Gillrakers on first arch 10 to 13 lower and 6 to 9 upper. Dorsal fin with 12 spines and 9 or 10 soft rays; first two spines very short, the following more or less filamentous and decreasing in length from the third or fourth backward. Anal fin with 3 spines and 8 or 9 soft rays of pelvic fins filamentous. Scales along lateral line 61 to 68. Colour reddish with silvery reflections. Belly ligther and head darker. A dark red spot posteriorly on base of dorsal fin extending well beyond scaly sheath. A dark area at pectoral fin axils; more or less aligned dark spots on soft portion of dorsal fin. Caudal fin dark red, very finely edged with black. In some individuals, a greenish yellow band between eyes.

References

  • Bauchot, M.-L., J.-C. Hureau & J.C. Miquel - 1981. Sparidae. In: W. Fischer, G. Bianchi and W.Scott (eds). FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Eastern Central Atlantic; fishing areas 34, 47 (in part). Canada Funds-in-Trust. Ottawa, Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, by arrangement with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, vol. IV : pag. Var.
  • Bauchot, M.-L. & J.-C. Hureau - 1990. Sparidae. In: J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds). Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT-Portugal, SEI-France, Unesco. Vol. II: 790-812.
  • Norman, J. R. - 1935. Coast fishes. Part I. The South Atlantic. Discovery Reps. v. 12: 1-58
  • Otero, J.G., M.D. Galeote & A. Arias - 1998. First record for the European Icthyofauna of Dentex (Cheimerius) canariensis Steindachner, 1881. J. Fish Biol. 52:1305-1308
  • Poll, M. - 1954. Poissons IV. Téléostéens Acanthoptérygiens. (Première partie). Res. Sci. Exped. Oceanogr. Belge Cot. Afr. Atlant. Sud. v. 4 (no. 3A): 1-390, Pls. 1-9.
  • Poll, M. - 1971. Revision systématique des daurades du genre Dentex de la côte africaine tropicale occidentale et de la Méditerranée. Mem. Acad. R. Belg. Cl. Sci. (Ser. 2) v. 40 (no. 1): 1-51.
  • Regan, C. T. - 1905. Description of a new fish of the genus Dentex from the coast of Angola. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (Ser. 7) v. 15 (no. 87): 325.
  • Steindachner, F. - 1881. Ichthyologische Beiträge (XI). Sitzungsber. Akad. Wiss. Wien v. 83 (1. Abth.): 393-408, Pl. 1.

Size

provided by FAO species catalogs
Maximum 100 cm; common to 35 cm

Brief Summary

provided by FAO species catalogs
Benthopelagic and demersal behaviour.Lives in small groups though large individuals may be solitary. Inhabiting various types of bottom, but especially rocky substrate usually to depths of about 150 m (rarely reported to 450 m), the depth range increasing with age. Sexual maturity is reached in the second year (about 20 cm) in the Northern part of the Gulf of Guinea, intermittent spawning occurs from July to September with a second shorter spawning period in January. Carnivorous, the young plankton-feeders, the adults feeding mainly on fish, crustaceans and cephalopods.

Benefits

provided by FAO species catalogs
A seasonal fishery linked to upwellings. Separate statistics are not reported for this species. Caught with bottom trawls, trammel nets and on line gear. Marketed fresh or frozen (flesh highly esteemed); also used for fishmeal and oil.

Biology

provided by Fishbase
Live in small groups though large individuals may be solitary. Inhabit inshore waters, close to the bottom on various substrates (specially rocky) to 150 m. Adults feed on fish, crustaceans and cephalopods while the young feed on plankton (Ref. 4781). Important food fish.
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Importance

provided by Fishbase
fisheries: commercial
license
cc-by-nc
copyright
FishBase
Recorder
Susan M. Luna
original
visit source
partner site
Fishbase