Cleftbelly trevally

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Cleftbelly trevally

Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Carangiformes
Family: Carangidae
Subfamily: Caranginae
Genus: Atropus
Oken, 1817
Species:
A. atropos
Binomial name
Atropus atropos
(
Schneider
, 1801)
Approximate range of the cleftbelly trevally
Synonyms
  • Brama atropos,
    Bloch & Schneider, 1801
  • Caranx atropus,
    (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
  • Atropus atropus (misspelling)

The cleftbelly trevally (Atropus atropos), also known as the cleftbelly kingfish, Kuweh trevally or thin crevalle, is a species of

West Pacific region from South Africa in the west to Japan in the east, often found near the water's surface. The cleftbelly trevally is the only member of the genus Atropus and is distinguished by a number of anatomical characteristics, with a deep median groove in the belly giving the species its common name. It is not a large fish, growing to a maximum recorded length of 26.5 cm. Cleftbelly trevally are predatory fish, taking a variety of small crustaceans and fish. The species is of minor importance to fisheries
throughout its range.

Taxonomy and naming

The cleftbelly trevally is the only species in the genus Atropus, which is one of 31 genera in the jack family, Carangidae. The Carangidae are part of the order Carangiformes.[2]

The species was first

type specimen was taken from the waters of Puducherry, in India
.

The fact that the generic and specific names differ by a single letter has also led to the misspelling of the species as Atropus atropus in some publications.[4] The species is most commonly referred to in English as the cleftbelly trevally, with other names including cleftbelly kingfish, Kuweh trevally and thin crevalle.[3] It is also occasionally called the 'blackfin jack', but should not be confused with Hemicaranx zelotes, also known by that name.

Description

pectoral fins to the base of the pelvic fins is scaleless.[4] There are two separate dorsal fins, the first with eight spines and the second with a single spine followed by 19 to 22 soft rays.[6] The anal fin has two detached spines before the major part of the anal fin, which consists of one spine and 17 or 18 soft rays. The pectoral and pelvic fins are both quite long, with the latter extending almost to the anal fin origin. The lateral line has a moderately strong arch anteriorally which intersects the straight section underneath the fifth to seventh dorsal rays. The straight part of the lateral line has 31–37 scutes.[6]

A cleftbelly trevally at an Indian market

There are 24 vertebrae and 29 to 34 total gill rakers.[5] The species is known to reach 26.5 cm in length, although often encountered below 20 cm.[3]

The cleftbelly trevally is a bluish green on the upper body which fades to silver on the underside of the fish. The membranes of the large pelvic fin are a distinctive black, while the remaining fins are a pale white colour. Juveniles have indistinct dark bands across their bodies, with a black spot becoming more prominent in adults.[6]

The species show sexual dimorphism in their dorsal fins, with mature males having between 6 and 12 elongated soft rays, strung out into filaments of varying lengths. The anal fin is also has five similar extensions of the soft rays. Females do not show this elongation.[7]

Distribution and habitat

The cleftbelly trevally inhabits the

West Pacific region. Its range extends from South Africa[8] along the east African coast[9] including the Persian Gulf, east to India, Southeast Asia, the Philippines, Taiwan and southern Japan.[5] Some sources state the Persian Gulf as the westernmost point of the species range, but specimens sent to Henry Fowler from South and eastern Africa in the 1930s show this to be incorrect.[8][9]

The species inhabit shallow

coastal waters, where they swim close to the surface. There has been a report of the species living in areas near estuaries which empty large flows of fresh water into these areas, indicating the species may be able to live in estuarine environments.[10]

Biology and fishery

The cleftbelly trevally is a predatory species, preying on small crustaceans including shrimps, copepods and decapods, as well as small fish.[11] Reproduction in the species has not been extensively studied, although early growth has been described in a 1984 article. The study was located in India, and showed the fish grows 12.4 cm in its first year of life, growing slower in its second and third years, adding 7.35 cm and 3.5 cm to its total length, respectively, in these years.[12] The species reaches sexual maturity at 21 cm, in the second or third year of its life.[13]

The species is of minor importance to

trawls, traps and by various hook-and-line methods.[5]

References

  1. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T20256645A46664034.en
    . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6. Archived from the original
    on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2019-11-23.
  3. ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2007). "Atropus atropos" in FishBase. November 2007 version.
  4. ^ a b c Lin, Pai-Lei; Shao, Kwang-Tsao (18 April 1999). "A Review of the Carangid Fishes (Family Carangidae) From Taiwan with Descriptions of Four New Records". Zoological Studies. 38 (1): 33–68. Archived from the original on 29 February 2012. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  5. ^
    ISBN 92-5-104587-9
    .
  6. ^
    ISBN 0-8248-1808-3
    .
  7. ISSN 0542-0938
    .
  8. ^ a b Fowler, Henry W. (1935). "South African Fishes Received from Mr. H. W. Bell-Marley in 1935". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 87: 361–408.
  9. ^ a b Fowler, Henry W. (1934). "Fishes Obtained by Mr. H. W. Bell-Marley Chiefly in Natal and Zululand in 1929 to 1932". Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia. 86: 405–514.
  10. doi:10.1016/0272-7714(95)90029-2
    .
  11. ISBN 978-4-486-05054-4
    .
  12. ISSN 0369-8211
    .
  13. ^ Reuben, S.; Kasim, H.M.; Sivakami, S.; et al. (1992). "Fishery, biology and stock assessment of carangid resources from the Indian seas". Indian Journal of Fisheries. 39 (3–4): 195–234.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cleftbelly_trevally&oldid=1230946284"