Sargocentron vexillarium

Mead, G. 1957. An Atlantic Record of the zeoid fish Parazen pacificus. Copeia, 1957(3):235-237. Zeiformes: Zeniontidae 1205 ZENIONTIDAE Zeniontids by P.C. Heemstra, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity, South Africa Diagnostic characters: Small (to 16 cm) oblong fishes, body compressed; body depth about equal to head length (with upper jaw retracted), contained 2.3 to 2.7 times in standard length; head bones thin and soft; mouth large, oblique, lower jaw projecting; upper jaw extremely protrusile, its length about equal to eye diameter; jaws with a few minute, conical teeth, none on vomer or palatines. Eyes large, diameter contained 1.9 to 3.0 times in head. Scales minute. Branchiostegal rays 7. Dorsal fin with 6 or 7 spines and 25 to 31 rays; anal fin with 1 weak spine and 23 to 28 rays; dorsal-, anal-, and pectoral-fin rays unbranched; caudal fin with 11 branched rays; pectoral fins with 15 to 17 soft rays, much shorter than head length; pelvic fins with a long slender spine and 6 soft rays, the fins widely separated from and much longer than pectoral fins. Vertebrae 25 to 27. Colour: body dusky silver; head orange. anal fin with 1 weak spine pelvic fins with 1 pectoral fins spine and 6 soft short rays

Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Zeniontids occur in depths of 300 to 600 m in a variety of habitats. Nothing has been published on the biology. They are usually caught near the bottom with trawls; because of their small size, zeniontids are of no commercial interest. Remarks: The family comprises 2 or 3 genera and about 8 species; at least 1 species occurs in Area 31. If the genus Macrurocyttus Fowler, 1934 with 2 species, is included in this family, the correct family name may be Macrurocyttidae. Similar families occurring in the area body with ridged Caproidae: body oval, the depth 0.8 to 1.6 times in stan- scales dard length and 2 to 3 times head length; body with ridged scales; pectoral fins about equal to head length; anal-fin spines 3. Caproidae 1206 Bony Fishes Parazenidae: 2 lateral lines; pelvic fins with 7 rays and no spine. Zeidae: body depth distinctly greater than head length, 1.6 to 2.1 times in standard length. 2 lateral lines body depth distinctly greater than head length Parazenidae Zeidae Oreosomatidae: body depth distinctly greater than head length, 1.4 to 1.8 times in standard length. body depth distinctly greater than head length Oreosomatidae List of species occurring in the area Zenion hololepis Goode and Bean, 1896. Maximum 10 cm. Nova Scotia, Bermuda, Bahamas, E coast Florida, Gulf of Mexico, Venezuela, Suriname, E Atlantic, Mozambique, Tanzania, Japan. References

Heemstra, P.C. 1986. Family No. 141: Zeniontidae. In Smiths’ Sea Fishes, edited by M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra.

Macmillan, South Africa, 1024 p.

Karrer, C. 1990. Zeniidae. In Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (Clofeta), edited by J.C. Quero, J.C. hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post, and L. Saldanha. Lisbon, JNICT; Paris, SEI; and Paris, UNESCO, Vol.2:629-630.

Uyeno, T., K. Matsuura, and E. Fujii. 1983. Fishes Trawled off Suriname and French Guiana. Japan Marine Fishery Resource Research Center. Tokyo, 491 p. Zeiformes: Zeidae 1207 ZEIDAE Dories by P.C. Heemstra, South African Institute of Aquatic Biodiversity, South Africa Diagnostic characters: Moderate-sized (to 90 cm) oval fishes, head and body greatly compressed; body depth greater than head length, contained 1.5 to 2.1 times in standard length. Head bones thin and soft. Mouth large, oblique, the upper jaw extremely protrusile; maxilla widely expanded poste- riorly, and mostly exposed when mouth is closed; supramaxilla absent; jaws with a few minute, conical teeth, and a few similar teeth on vomer. No spines or serrae on opercular bones. Branchiostegal membranes separate, the gill openings unrestricted; branchiostegal rays 7. Gill rakers short, few. Dorsal fin with 7 to 10 spines and 24 to 30 soft rays; anal fin with 1 to 3 spines and 24 to 30 soft rays; dorsal-, anal-, and pecto- ral-fin rays unbranched; caudal fin convex, with 13 or 14 principal rays and 11 or 12 branched rays; pectoral fin with 12 to 14 soft rays, much shorter than head length or pelvic fins; pelvic fins with 1 slen- der spine and 5 rays or no spine and 9 or 10 soft rays, fin origin anterior to a vertical at pectoral-fin base. Scales minute or absent. Vertebrae 29 to 34. Colour: body reddish or silvery. pelvic-fin origin anterior to scales minute pectoral-fin origin or absent

Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Zeids occur in depths of 100 to 400 m in a variety of habitats. They are usually caught near the bottom with trawls. Although zeids are good food fishes, they are not taken in sufficient quanti- ties in the western Atlantic area to be considered an important fishery resource. Remarks: Five genera, with a total of 9 species; 2 species in the western Atlantic. 1208 Bony Fishes Similar families occurring in the area Caproidae: mouth small, upper-jaw length not much greater than eye diameter; eye diameter about equal to snout length; body with ridged scales; pectoral fins longer than pelvic fins. Parazenidae: 2 lateral lines; body depth slightly less than head length; pelvic-fin origin behind vertical at pecto- ral-fin base; caudal fin with 9 branched rays. body with 2 lateral lines ridged scales Caproidae Parazenidae Grammicolepidae: mouth small, upper jaw length about half eye diameter; scales slender, greatly elongated vertically. Zeniontidae: Eye diameter much larger than snout length; body depth about equal to head length, contained 2.3 to 2.7 times in standard length. scales slender, greatly body depth about elongated vertically equal to head length Grammicolepidae Zeniontidae Oreosomatidae: eye diameter greater than snout length; pelvic fins about equal to pectoral fins and about half head length. eye diameter greater than snout length Oreosomatidae Zeiformes: Zeidae 1209 Key to the species of Zeidae occurring in the area 1a. Pelvic fins with 9 or 10 soft rays and no spine; thoracic region broad and flattened; no bony bucklers along bases of dorsal and anal fins; dorsal-fin with 7 or 8 stiff spines, shorter than head length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Cyttopsis rosea 1b. Pelvic fins with 1 slender spine and 5 soft rays; thoracic region narrow; 7 large, bony buck- lers along base of dorsal fin and 5 or 6 along base of anal fin; dorsal fin with 9 or 10 long, flexible spines, the third or fourth spines longer than head . . . . . . . . . . Zenopsis conchifera List of spec(cid:1)ies occurring in the area T(cid:1)he symbol is given when species accounts are included. (cid:1) Cyttopsis rosea (Lowe, 1843). Zenopsis conchifera (Lowe, 1850). References

Heemstra, P.C.1980.A revision of the zeid fishes (Zeiformes:Zeidae) of South Africa.Ichthyol. Bull Rhodes Univ.,41:1-18.

Heemstra, P.C. 1986. Family No. 138: Zeidae. In Smiths’ Sea Fishes, edited by M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra.

Johannesburg, Macmillan South Africa, pp. 435-438.