Diplectrum bivittatum
Dwarf Sand Perch
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Serranidae (Sea Basses and Groupers)
Diplectrum
Diplectrum bivittatum (Dwarf Sand Perch)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
and processed using AI-assisted text extraction.
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Characters
Preoperculum bearing numerous strong spines diverging from a single cluster. Posterior margin of anterior naris developed as large flap. Upper jaw extends to center of eye. Jaw teeth villiform except for outer row of 5 to 10 canine teeth. Villiform teeth in vomer in wedge- or V-shaped patch and in palatine in narrow band. Preoperculum forms right angle between upper and lower limbs, and posterior margin serrated. Gill rakers on first arch number 20 to 25. Measurements are expressed as percent of SL: head length 32%–37%, snout length 8%–11%, orbital length 8%–10%, interorbital width 6%–8%, body depth 24%–30%. Pectoral fin has 14 to 16 rays. Dorsal fin slightly indented between spinous and rayed sections and has 10 spines and 12 rays. Anal fin has 6 to 8 rays. Caudal fin truncate to slightly forked, with upper lobe occasionally extended as long filament. Scales ctenoid, with seven to nine rows on cheek and up to 9 scales between dorsal fin origin and lateral line. Lateral line scales number 54 to 75.
Color is brown with copper tinge on dorsal surface, tan on side, and white ventrally. Adults have triangular black spot on upper section of operculum, two broad dark stripes intersected by short, dark vertical bars on upper flank, and distinct dark spot on caudal fin. Juveniles have two broad, dark lateral stripes extending from operculum to base of caudal fin and from head to dorsal aspect of caudal peduncle.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from southeastern Florida to northern Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Florida Keys. In the Gulf of Mexico it occurs from Pensacola, FL, westward and southward to Campeche Bay.
Gulf of Mexico from Pensacola, FL, westward and southward to Campeche Bay
Habitat Associations
Near shore to 120 m, muddy silt bottoms
Muddy silt bottoms
Biology
Polychaetes, amphipods, natantian shrimps, brachyuran crabs, and ray-finned fishes
250 mm SL
Synchronous hermaphrodite
Found on soft bottom (Ref. 5217). Synchronously hermaphroditic. Good food fish (Ref. 5217).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2012-08-21. Resilience: Medium (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
References
Longley and Hildebrand 1941
Hildebrand 1955
Stark 1968
Bortone 1977b
Chittenden and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Ogren and Brusher 1977
Bortone et al. 1981
Matsuura 1983a
Darcy and Gutherz 1984
Robins and Ray 1986
Bullock and Smith 1991
Cervigón 1991
Boschung 1992
Randall 1996
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999
Heemstra 2002c
Cervigón, F., R. Cipriani, W. Fischer, L. Garibaldi, M. Hendrickx, A.J. Lemus, R. Márquez, J.M. Poutiers, G. Robaina and B. Rodriguez (1992) Fichas FAO de identificación de especies para los fines de la pesca. Guía de campo de las especies comerciales marinas y de aquas salobres de la costa septentrional de Sur América. FAO, Rome. 513 p. Preparado con el financiamento de la Comisión de Comunidades Europeas y de NORAD.
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986) A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
Randall, J.E. (1996) Caribbean reef fishes. Third Edition - revised and enlarged. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Hong Kong. 3nd ed. 368 p.
Figueroa, D.E., J.M. Díaz de Astarloa and M.B. Cousseau (2000) Southernmost occurrence of the aguavina on the western Atlantic coast of Argentina. J. Fish Biol. 56(6):1280-1282.
Touart, L.W. and S.A. Bortone (1980) The accessory reproductive structure in the simultaneous hermaphrodite Diplectrum bivittatum. J. Fish Biol. 16(4):397-403.
Comments On Diplectrum bivittatum