Basic HTML Version
International Journal of Marine Science 2014, Vol.4, No.25, 227-230
http://ijms.biopublisher.ca
228
Figure 2
Taractes rubescens
(890 mm TL), A, whole fish; B,
anterior part; C, tail and keel
Materials examined
One female specimen, 890 mm TL, OMMSTC 1230,
the Sea of Oman, 23° 32′58.36″ N; 58° 45′42.85″ E,
7
th
Oct. 2013.
Description
The keeltail pomfret specimen (Figure 2, a) has the
following set of characters: fusiform and compressed
body with straight dorsal profile of head and pointed
snout. Well-developed precaudal groove with
strong
and well developed lateral keel. Long pectoral fin
extends to anterior anal fin rays. Cycloid scales on
sides of body. Caudal fin with falcate posterior profile
of upper lobe. The outer border of the caudal fin’s
lower lobe shaped like an “S”. Color is almost black
to dark brown with bronze to silver sheen, belly
somewhat lighter. Fins dark color with silvery sheen.
Caudal fin with a posterior white margin less
discernible on upper lobe. Morphometric and meristic
Table 1 Morphometric and meristic characters of
Taractes rubescens
collected from Sea of Oman (TL=total length, SL=standard
length, HL=head length, Kg=kilogram)
Morphometric characters (mm)
Present study
n
=1
Ali and McNoon, 2010
n
=34
Weight (Kg)
8
6.2
-
10.1
Total length
890
803
-
950
Fork length (% in TL)
810 (85)
690
-
860
Standard length (%in TL)
685 (77)
680
-
780
Head length (% in SL)
240 (35)
̶
Preorbital length (% in HL)
70 (29)
(23.5
-
30.0)
Postorbital length (% in HL)
110 (46)
(51
-
55.5)
Eye diameter (% in HL)
40 (17)
(16.7
-
19.1)
Upper jaw length (% in HL)
105 (44)
̶
Dorsal fin length (% in TL)
180 (20)
̶
Predorsal fin length (% in FL)
290 (36)
(36.8
-
41.1)
Postdorsal fin length (% in FL)
600 (67)
̶
Pectoral fin length (% in FL)
235 (29)
(29.6
-
35.4)
Prepectoral fin length (% in FL)
350 (43)
(27.3
-
31.2)
Anal fin length (% in SL)
150 (22)
̶
Preanal fin length (% in FL)
450 (56)
(54.7
-
63)
Postanal fin length (% in SL)
600 (88)
̶
Preanus length (% in SL)
400 (58)
̶
Caudal Peduncle depth (% in SL)
90 (13)
̶
Body depth (% in FL)
310 (38)
̶
Meristic characters
Dorsal fin rays
28
27
-
29
Anal fin rays
20
19
-
21
Pectoral fin rays
20
19
-
21
details are given and compared with specimens
reported from elsewhere in Table 1. The Keeltail
pomfret,
T. rubescens
differs from its congener
T.
asper
in having the prominent peduncle scutes in a
shape of keel, long pectoral fin, color pattern and
meristic characters.
Distribution
Taractes rubescens
was described for the first time
from the Gulf of Mexico by Jordan and Evermann in
1887 and recorded in both the Pacific and Atlantic
Oceans and widely distributed in tropical waters
(Masuda
et al
., 1984). Recently reported in Aden Gulf,