Nemipterus is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes belonging to the family Nemipteridae, the threadfin and whiptail breams. These fishes are found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, but now also occur in the Mediterranean Sea due to Lessepsian migration.
Nemipterus | |
---|---|
Nemipterus furcosus | |
Scientific classification ![]() | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Spariformes |
Family: | Nemipteridae |
Genus: | Nemipterus Swainson, 1839 |
Type species | |
Dentex filamentosus Valenciennes, 1830
| |
Synonyms[1] | |
Taxonomy
editNemipterus was first proposed as a monospecific genus in 1839 by the English zoologist William John Swainson with Dentex filamentosus, a species described by Achille Valenciennes in 1830 from "Suriname", as its only species. Valenciennes' D. filamentosus has since been determined to be a subjectively invalid name and the valid name is Dentex nematophorus which had been described by Pieter Bleeker from Padang in Sumatra in 1854.[2][1] The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies Nemipterus within the family Nemipteridae which it places in the order Spariformes.[3]
Etymology
editNemipterus is a compound of nematos, meaning "thread", and pterus, which means "fin", and this is a reference to the filaments on the dorsal and caudal fin rays of the type species of Nemipterus, Dentex filamentosus.[4]
Species
editThere are currently 30 recognized species in this genus:[5]
- Nemipterus aurifilum (J. D. Ogilby, 1910) (Yellow-lip thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus aurora B. C. Russell, 1993 (Dawn thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus balinensis (Bleeker, 1858) (Balinese thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus balinensoides (Popta, 1918) (Dwarf thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus bathybius Snyder, 1911 (Yellow-belly thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus bipunctatus (Valenciennes, 1830) (Delagoa thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus celebicus (Bleeker, 1854) (Celebes thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus elaine B. C. Russell & Gouws, 2020 [6]
- Nemipterus flavomandibularis B. C. Russell & Tweddle, 2013 (Yellow-jaw thread-fin bream) [7]
- Nemipterus furcosus (Valenciennes, 1830) (Fork-tailed thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus gracilis (Bleeker, 1873) (Graceful thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus hexodon (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) (Ornate thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus isacanthus (Bleeker, 1873) (Tear-drop thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus japonicus (Bloch, 1791) (Japanese thread-fin bream) [8]
- Nemipterus marginatus (Valenciennes, 1830) (Red-filament thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus mesoprion (Bleeker, 1853) (Mauve-lip thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus nematophorus (Bleeker, 1854) (Double-whip thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus nematopus (Bleeker, 1851) (Yellow-tipped thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus nemurus (Bleeker, 1857) (Red-spine thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus peronii (Valenciennes, 1830) (Notched-fin thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus randalli B. C. Russell, 1986 (Randall's thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus sugillatus B. C. Russell & H. C. Ho, 2017 [9]
- Nemipterus tambuloides (Bleeker, 1853) (Five-lined thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus theodorei J. D. Ogilby, 1916 (Theodore's thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus thosaporni B. C. Russell, 1991 (Pale-fin thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus virgatus (Houttuyn, 1782) (Golden thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus vitiensis B. C. Russell, 1990 (Fiji thread-fin bream)
- Nemipterus zysron (Bleeker, 1856) (Slender thread-fin bream)
Characteristics
editNemipterus threadfin breams are separated from other Nemipterids by sometimes having scales on the suborbital region and the suborbital bone's margin may be smooth, have small serrations or just a few denticulations. The rear edge of the preoperculum is either smooth or has fine denticulations. If canine-like teeth are present they are only in the front part of the jaws. The scales on the crown extend forwards to or beyond the middle of the eyes and there are scales on the temples. They do not have a suborbital spine and there are 3 transverse rows of scales on the preoperculum.[10] These are medium-sized fishes with the smallest species, N. balinensoides and N. mesoprion, have maximum published standard lengths of 14 cm (5.5 in), while the largest, N. virgatus, has a maximum published standard length of 35 cm (14 in).[5]
Distribution and habitat
editNemipterus threadfin breams are naturally found in the Indian and Western Pacific Ocean.[5] One species, N. randalli, has become established in the Mediterranean Sea, probably entering the sea through the Suez Canal from the Red Sea by Lessepsian migration.[11] They are benthic fishes found at depths down to 300 m (980 ft) but typically in shallower waters. They prefer mud and sand bottoms in coastal areas or on the continental shelf.[10]
Biology
editNemipterus threadfin breams may be solitary or schooling and seem to be non-territorial. They are predators feeding on benthic animals including fishes, crustaceans, polychaetes and cephalopods. There is apparent sexual dimorphism in size with males being larger females smaller. They may be protogynous hermaphrodites or males may grow faster than females. They spawn throughout the year with one or two periods of peak breeding activity.[10]
Fisheries
editNemipterus threadfin breams are important targets for commercial and artisianal fisheries throughout their range. The main gear used to catch them is bottom trawl or by handline, but fishers will also use longlines, gill nets, lift nets, surrounding nets, drive-in nets, fish stakes and fish traps. They are food fish and they are sold preserved and processed in various ways. In some areas Nemipterus species are the second or third most targeted fish for fisheries.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Genera in the family Neipteridae". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Species in the genus Nemipterus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ Nelson, J.S.; Grande, T.C.; Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). Fishes of the World (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 502–506. doi:10.1002/9781119174844. ISBN 978-1-118-34233-6. LCCN 2015037522. OCLC 951899884. OL 25909650M.
- ^ "Order SPARIFORMES: Families LETHRINIDAE, NEMIPTERIDAE and SPARIDAE". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf. 17 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2023.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Species in genus Nemipterus". FishBase. June 2023 version.
- ^ Russell, Barry C.; Gouws, Gavin (2020-12-17). "A new species of Nemipterus (Pisces: Nemipteridae) from the Western Indian Ocean". Zootaxa. 4895 (4): 573–580. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.4895.4.7. ISSN 1175-5334.
- ^ Russell, B.C. & Tweddle, D. (2013): A new species of Nemipterus (Pisces: Nemipteridae) from the Western Indian Ocean. Zootaxa, 3630 (1): 191–197.
- ^ Ning, Ping; Sha, Zhongli; Hebert, Paul D. N.; Russell, Barry (2015). "The taxonomic status of Japanese threadfin bream Nemipterus japonicus (Bloch, 1791) (Perciformes: Nemipteridae) with a redescription of this species from the south china sea based on morphology and DNA barcodes". Journal of Ocean University of China. 14 (1): 178–184. Bibcode:2015JOUC...14..178N. doi:10.1007/s11802-015-2609-x. S2CID 44023173.
- ^ Russell, B.C. & Ho, H.-C. (2017): A new species of Nemipterus (Perciformes: Nemipteridae) and first record of N. nematophorus (Bleeker) from Taiwan. Zootaxa, 4231 (2): 281-288.
- ^ a b c d B. C. Russell (2001). "Nemipteridae". In Carpenter, K.E. & Neim, Volker H. (eds.). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific Volume 5: Bony fishes part 3 (Menidae to Pomacentridae) (PDF). FAO Species Identification Guide for Fishery Purposes. FAO Rome. p. 3051.
- ^ Ogwang, Joel; Bariche, Michel; Bos, Arthur R. (2021). "Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of threadfin breams (Nemipterus spp.) from the Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean Sea". Genome. 64 (3): 207–216. doi:10.1139/gen-2019-0163.