Peprilus paru
Harvestfish
NS
G5
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Stromateidae (Butterfishes)
Peprilus
Peprilus paru (Harvestfish)
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
Dorsal and anal fins extremely falcate with 2-4 bladelike spines anterior to rays. Dorsal and ventral profiles slightly convex and similar. Snout blunt. Anterior naris round, posterior naris slitlike. Mouth terminal, upper jaw extending to anterior margin of eye. Branchiostegal rays 6. Gill rakers on first arch 20-23. Measurements (% SL): head length 25%-40%, snout length 4%-8%, eye length 6%-15%, upper jaw length 7%-11%, pectoral fin length 27%-45%, body depth 57%-88%. Pectoral fin long and winglike with 18-24 rays, inserting below midline. Dorsal fin with 38-47 rays. Pelvic fin absent, but spine on pelvic girdle projects through skin midventrally. Anal fin similar to dorsal fin but slightly shorter with 35-45 rays. Caudal peduncle short, slender, compressed. Caudal fin deeply forked. Scales small, deciduous, covering body and side of head. Lateral line scales 80-95. Vertebrae 29-31 (12-13 precaudal, 16-18 caudal).
Iridescent bluish or greenish silver, without dark spots on upper part of body.
Distribution
Western Atlantic from Chesapeake Bay to northern Argentina, including the entire Gulf of Mexico and the Greater Antilles, except for Cuba and Jamaica.
Habitat Associations
Neritic species
Biology
Maximum known size is 280 mm SL.
A pelagic fish forming large schools in coastal bays, inshore waters over the continental shelf and around islands at moderate depths (50 to 70 m) where it occurs throughout the year (Ref. 53006). Juveniles are found in shallow coastal waters under floating weeds; also in or near brackish estuaries (Ref. 5217). The young of less then 10 cm length are often encountered in association with medusae. Adults feed mainly on jellyfish, small fish, crustaceans and worms while juveniles are plankton feeders. Caught mainly with otter trawls, also seines; marketed fresh and frozen (Ref. 53006). Its flesh is well esteemed.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Also Ref. 101194.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2009-02-04. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial.
References
Mansueti 1963
Haedrich 1967
Haedrich 2002e
Horn 1970
Haedrich and Horn 1972
Hoese and Moore 1977
Shimizu 1983e
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
Hoese and Moore 1998
Castro-Aguirre et al. 1999
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
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.
Uyeno, T., K. Matsuura and E. Fujii (eds.) (1983) Fishes trawled off Suriname and French Guiana. Japan Marine Fishery Resource Research Center, Tokyo, Japan. 519 p.
Cervigón, F. (1994) Los peces marinos de Venezuela. Volume 3. Fundación Científica Los Roques, Caracas,Venezuela. 295 p.
Figueiredo, J.L. and N.A. Menezes (2000) Manual de peixes marinhos do sudeste do Brasil. VI.Teleostei (5). Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de São Paulo. Brazil. 116 p.
Haimovici, M. and G. Velasco (2000) Length-weight relationships of marine fishes from southern Brazil. Naga, ICLARM Q. 23(1):19-23.
Cargo, D.G. and L.P. Schultz (1966) Notes on the biology of the sea nettle Chrysaora quinquecirrha in Chesapeake Bay. Chesap. Sci. 7:95-100.
Comments On Peprilus paru