Sparidentex hasta (Valenciennes, 1830)

Siddiqui, Pirzada Jamal, Amir, Shabir Ali & Masroor, Rafaqat, 2014, The sparid fishes of Pakistan, with new distribution records, Zootaxa 3857 (1), pp. 71-100 : 89-90

Sparidentex hasta (Valenciennes, 1830)

Common name: Sobaity Seabream

Local names: Dathi (Sindh); Nawar (Balochistan) ( Figures 13 & 15 I, J; Table 1 )

Chrysophrys cuvieri Day, 1875: 141 , Pl. 34 (fig. 3) (Seas of India); Whitehead & Talwar, 1976: 160. Dentex hasta Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1830: 255 (Malabar, India); Bauchot & Daget, 1972: 48 (Not the same as Acanthopagrus hasta (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) .

Diagnosis. Following combination of characters distinguishes this species: dorsal-fin rays XI,11–12; anal-fin rays III, 8; scale rows between the 5th dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 5½, scale rows between the ninth dorsal-fin spine base to lateral line 5–5½, scale rows below first dorsal spine to the lateral line 5½, scale rows below the lateral line 12½; pored lateral line scales 47–48; body depth 34–37%, head length 32–33%, snout deep 9–10 %, caudal peduncle length 21–23% in standard length; no molariform teeth in both jaws, 4–6 enlarged fang-like slightly curved conical teeth at anterior portion of both jaws, villi–form teeth rows present in upper and lower jaws; 2nd and 3rd anal-fin spine subequal in length, ratio of 2nd anal-fin spine / 3rd anal-fin spine 1.0–1.2.

Description. Body compressed and nearly cylindrical; mouth somewhat oblique, lips thick; snout somewhat pointed, two nostrils just in front of both eyes; upper jaw protruding slightly in front of lower jaw; maxilla reaching to bellow mid eye level (pupil or center of orbit); at front of each jaw, 4–6 enlarged, fang-like, conical teeth, outer series of lateral teeth conical and compressed with parallel rows of villiform teeth; least suborbital depth is much shorter than eye diameter, 6 (6–7) transvers rows of scales on cheek; anterodorsal profile ascending somewhat gently from mouth to eyes and above; profile of fish body is somewhat arched; Head and eyes moderately large; no scales on preopercular flange; its posterior margin weakly serrated; low scaly sheath on soft dorsal and anal-fin ray bases; dorsal-fin spines strong, first one is smaller (4.5–6.0% of SL), fourth one is longer (13–19% of SL); first anal-fin spine short (4–12% of SL); 2nd and 3rd anal-fin spine subequal (11–14% of SL); pectoral-fin long nearly equal to head length, pelvic-fin spine longer than snout length; caudal fin forked and both lobes are pointed.

Color of fresh specimens. Head and dorsal part of body olive silvery, becoming silvery-white up to belly; scales are with diffused black margins that shows longitudinal and transverse narrow stripes on the body; dorsal and anal-fin rays gray to blackish, soft rays light blackish and hyaline, membranes of the dorsal and anal-fins are dusky grey; pectoral light yellow to whitish and pelvic-fins light grayish to whitish; a black spot in pectoral axilla and a diffuse black spot on beginning of lateral line; caudal fin dusky and posterior margin darker.

Distribution. Western Indian Ocean: Persian Gulf and coasts of India.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Sparidentex hasta, PMNH 50412, 209 mm SL, WWFH, Karachi. Fusiform shape, second anal spine is subequal to third anal spine.

FIGURE 15. Details of dentition (A-Y) and gill rakers (Z & Z 1) in species of family Sparidae from Pakistan; Acanthopagrus catenula, A) upper jaw & B) lower jaw; A. berda, C) upper jaw & D) lower jaw; A. arabicus, E) upper jaw & F) lower jaw; A. sheim, G) upper jaw & H) lower jaw; Sparidentex hasta, I) upper jaw & J) lower jaw; Sparidentex jamalensis., K) upper jaw & L) lower jaw; Crenidens indicus, M) upper jaw & N) lower jaw; Diplodus capensis, O) upper jaw & P) lower jaw; Q) upper and lower jaws of Diplodus omanensis; Rhabdosargus sarba, R) upper jaw & S) lower jaw; Rhabdosargus haffara, T) upper jaw & U) lower jaw; V) upper and lower jaws of Agryrops spinifer; W) upper and lower jaws of Cheimerius nufar; Pagellus affinis, X) upper jaw & Y) lower jaw; Z) Argyrops spinifer, showing comparatively small gill rakers; and Z 1) Cheimerius nufar, showing elongated fan-like gill rakers.