Polydactylus virginicus
Barbu
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Polynemidae (Threadfins)
Polydactylus
Polydactylus virginicus (Barbu)
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
7 detached rays in lower section of pectoral fin; upper lip absent, lower lip fully developed; teeth in upper jaw exposed when mouth closed; vomer with villiform teeth; preoperculum margin serrated with large, flat spine and membranous flap at corner; opercular margin broadly rounded and entire; gill rakers on first arch 26-30 with 11 or 13 on upper limb; head length 30%-31% SL, snout length 5%-7% SL, eye diameter 7%-8% SL, upper jaw length 13%-14% SL, pectoral fin length 22%-26% SL, anal fin base 17%-19% SL, body depth 27%-33% SL, caudal peduncle depth 13%-15% SL; pectoral fin with 14-16 rays in upper section and 7 in lower section; first dorsal fin with 8 spines, second dorsal fin with 1 spine and 11-12 rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 11-14 rays; lateral line scales 54-63
Dull silvery with yellowish cast; first dorsal fin blackish near tip; paired fins often blackish near centers
Distribution
Western Atlantic from New Jersey (rare) and Bermuda to Uruguay, including the southern Gulf of Mexico, the Florida Keys, and the Antilles
Known from Progreso, Yucatán in the Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
Sandy and muddy bottoms in shallow water
Biology
Maximum known size 330 mm TL
Found on sandy and muddy bottoms of coastal waters, estuaries and mangroves, and occasionally in the surf (Ref. 57343). Young aggregate near river mouths (Ref. 57343). Common around islands (Ref. 9710). Nocturnal feeder, taking crustaceans, chaetognaths, plant material, and polychaetes (Ref. 57343). May have a prolonged spawning season (Ref. 57343).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2013-01-29. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial.
References
Kanazawa 1952
Randall 1996
Smith 1997
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Feltes 2002
Randall, J.E. (1996) Caribbean reef fishes. Third Edition - revised and enlarged. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Hong Kong. 3nd ed. 368 p.
Gines, H. and F. Cervigón (1967) Exploracion pesquera en las costas de Guyana y Surinam año 1967. Estacíon de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita. Fundacíon La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, no. 29.
Austin, H. and S. Austin (1971) The feeding habits of some juvenile marine fishes from the mangroves in western Puerto Rico. Caribb. J. Sci. 11(3-4):171-178.
Gómez-Canchong, P., L. Manjarrés M., L.O. Duarte and J. Altamar (2004) Atlas pesquero del area norte del Mar Caribe de Colombia. Universidad del Magadalena, Santa Marta. 230 p.
Motomura, H. (2004) Threadfins of the world (Family Polynemidae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of polynemid species known to date. FAO Spec. Cat. Fish. Purp. Rome: FAO. 3:117 p.
Comments On Polydactylus virginicus