Diplodus hottentotus

Diplodus hottentotus
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Spariformes
Family:	Sparidae
Genus:	Diplodus
Species:	D. hottentotus
Binomial name
Diplodus hottentotus (A. Smith, 1844)
Synonyms[2]
Sargus hottentotus A. Smith, 1844 Diplodus cervinus hottentotus (A. Smith, 1844)

Diplodus hottentotus, the zebra, is a species of marine

Diplodus hottentotus has the specific name hottentotus, a latinisation of the pejorative term hottentot, a name given by the original Dutch colonists to the Cape to the indigenous people of that region. In this case it is thought to be geographical, referring to the South African coast.^[7]

Description

Diplodus hottentotus has a deep, oval and compressed body with a depth that fits into the

Diplodus hottentotus is found in the southwestern Indian Ocean off the south and eastern coasts of South Africa and southern Mozambique. There is a disjunct population in the southeastern Atlantic Ocean off Angola which may be taxonomically distinct.[1]^[4] The zebra is a sedentary fish that is found in rocky habitats from the surf-zone as deep as 120 m (390 ft) in submarine canyons. The juveniles are also very sedentary and occur on shallow reefs in below the low tide mark, gullies, tidal pools and in the mouths of estuaries.^[1]

Biology

Diplodus hottentotus feed on a variety benthic invertebrates and specialise in preying on

Diplodus hottentitus has palatable flesh but freshly caught fish emit a nauseating smell.[8] In South Africa this species cannot be sold and may only be caught in recreational fisheries.^[1]

References