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Acanthopagrus vagus (Peters, 1852)

Description

Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Diagnosis: This species is distinguished from its congeners of by the following characters: 3.5 scale rows between fifth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line; front edge of dorsal scaly area on head (dorsal view) with a median W-shaped scaleless area and with small scales present just before an oblique temporal row of larger scales; 44-46 pored lateral-line scales; second anal-fin spine (2AS) slightly longer than third anal fin spine (3AS), ratio 2AS/3AS 5 1.15-1.45 (mean 1.25); ventral edge of first two infraorbitals straight in specimens less than 23 cm SL, weakly concave in specimens more than 25 cm standard length; preopercle flange with 0-6 scales, number increasing with growth and is obvious in specimens over 20 cm standard length ; black streaks near anal-fin base on interradial membranes between rays; both jaws with well developed molariform teeth (Ref. 83673).

Common Names

  • Wandering seabream , English , South Africa

    • Taxonomic Hierarchy

    Kingdom: Animalia

    Phylum: Chordata

    Class: Teleostei

    Order: Eupercaria/misc

    Family: Sparidae

    Genus: Acanthopagrus

    Species: Acanthopagrus vagus (Peters, 1852)

    Climate Zone

  • Tropical

    • Location

  • Africa: western Indian Ocean from Knysna in South Africa to southern Mozambique (Ref. 83673). Also known from Zambezi River and some other coastal rivers (Ref. 57418, 83673). Possibly present in Madagascar, but this needs confirmation (Ref. 83673).

    • Biology

    Adults and juveniles found in estuaries and in freshwater (Ref. 58304).

    Habitat

    freshwater