The Gorean snapper (''Lutjanus goreensis'') is a species of marine
ray-finned fish
Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species.
The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or hor ...
, a snapper belonging to the
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
Lutjanidae. It is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
Taxonomy
The Gorean snapper was first formally
described in 1830 as ''Mesoprion goreensis'' by the
French
French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to France
** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents
** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
zoologist
Zoology ()The pronunciation of zoology as is usually regarded as nonstandard, though it is not uncommon. is the branch of biology that studies the Animal, animal kingdom, including the anatomy, structure, embryology, evolution, Biological clas ...
Achille Valenciennes with the
type locality given as
Gorée in Senegal.
The
specific name Specific name may refer to:
* in Database management systems, a system-assigned name that is unique within a particular database
In taxonomy, either of these two meanings, each with its own set of rules:
* Specific name (botany), the two-part (bino ...
refers to the type locality of Gorée.
Description
The Gorean snapper has a relatively deep body with a pointed snout and a steeply sloping forehead. The
vomerine teeth
The vomer (; lat, vomer, lit=ploughshare) is one of the unpaired facial bones of the skull. It is located in the midsagittal line, and articulates with the sphenoid, the ethmoid, the left and right palatine bones, and the left and right maxill ...
are arranged in a triangular patch with a clearly rearwards extension.
The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 14 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays.
[ The ]pectoral fin
Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as ...
s contain 16 rays and are relatively short, not extending as far as the anus, and the caudal fin
Fins are distinctive anatomical features composed of bony spines or rays protruding from the body of a fish. They are covered with skin and joined together either in a webbed fashion, as seen in most bony fish, or similar to a flipper, as se ...
is slightly emarginate
The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular o ...
.[ This fish attains a maximum ]total length
Fish measurement is the measuring of individual fish and various parts of their anatomies. These data are used in many areas of ichthyology, including taxonomy and fisheries biology.
Overall length
* Standard length (SL) is the length of a fish ...
of , although is more typical.[ The back and upper flanks are vivid pink or reddish while the lower flanks and abdomen are silvery-white. There is a thin blue band or line of broken spots underneath the eye. The smaller individuals found in shallow water are mainly brownish in colour.][
]
Distribution and habitat
The Gorean snapper is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean. Its range extends along the western coast of Africa from Senegal in the north to Angola in the south, although it is less common south of the Congo River
The Congo River ( kg, Nzâdi Kôngo, french: Fleuve Congo, pt, Rio Congo), formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the second largest river in the world by discharge ...
. It has also been found in the Cape Verde Islands, the Canary Islands
The Canary Islands (; es, Canarias, ), also known informally as the Canaries, are a Spanish autonomous community and archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, in Macaronesia. At their closest point to the African mainland, they are west of Morocc ...
and Madeira
)
, anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira")
, song_type = Regional anthem
, image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg
, map_alt=Location of Madeira
, map_caption=Location of Madeira
, subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...
. The adults occur over rocky substrates and in near coral reefs. The juveniles are often recorded in coastal waters, especially estuaries and occasionally in the lower reaches of rivers.[ It has a depth range of >]
Biology
The Gorean snapper is a predatory species which feeds on other fishes and larger benthic
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from ancient Greek, βένθος (bénthos), meaning "t ...
invertebrates.[
]
Fisheries and conservation
The Gorean snapper is a target for commercial and artisanal fisheries throughout its range and it is taken mainly with seines, hook and line and by spearfishing. It is also caught using handlines, fixed bottom nets and trawl nets. The catch is usually sold as fresh fish. It is cultured in the brackish water zone of the Niger Delta
The Niger Delta is the delta of the Niger River sitting directly on the Gulf of Guinea on the Atlantic Ocean in Nigeria. It is located within nine coastal southern Nigerian states, which include: all six states from the South South geopolitical ...
, alongside '' L. agennes'' and the total estimated yield is per hectare per annum. There is very little data on landings or the biology of this species and therefore the IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN; officially International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natu ...
categorise it as Data Deficient
A data deficient (DD) species is one which has been categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as offering insufficient information for a proper assessment of conservation status to be made. This does not necessaril ...
but state that it may be vulnerable to overfishing and that its true status may be Near Threatened
A near-threatened species is a species which has been categorized as "Near Threatened" (NT) by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as that may be vulnerable to endangerment in the near future, but it does not currently qualify fo ...
or Vulnerable.
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2182375
Lutjanus
Fish described in 1830