''Taractes'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

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 ...

es from 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 ...

Bramidae, the

pomfret Pomfrets are perciform fishes belonging to the family Bramidae. The family currently includes 20 species across seven genera. Several species are important food sources for humans, especially ''Brama brama'' in South Asia. The earlier form of ...

s. ''Taractes'' can be distinguished from other bramid genera but having a flat, or slightly curved profile, between the eyes (unlike the definitive arched profile present in the other genera) and by having scales on both the dorsal and anal fins (unlike ''

Pterycombus ''Pterycombus'' is a genus of pomfret distinguished by greatly elongated dorsal and anal fins. Along with the genus '' Pteraclis'', these fishes are commonly referred to as fanfishes. ''Pterycombus'' can be distinguished from ''Pteraclis'' by exa ...

'' and ''

Pteraclis ''Pteraclis'' is a genus of fish in the family Bramidae, the pomfrets. They are known commonly as fanfishes. The three species are distributed throughout the oceans of the world. Species Species include: * '' Pteraclis aesticola'' ( D. S. Jord ...

'' which lack these scales).

Species

There are currently two recognized species in this genus: * ''

Taractes asper ''Taractes'' is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes from the family Bramidae, the pomfrets. ''Taractes'' can be distinguished from other bramid genera but having a flat, or slightly curved profile, between the eyes (unlike the definitive arched p ...

'' R. T. Lowe, 1843 (Rough pomfret) * ''

Taractes rubescens ''Taractes rubescens'', the pomfret, keeltail pomfret, knifetail pomfret or black pomfret, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a pomfret of the family Bramidae. ''T. rubescens'' is closely related, and quite similar, to '' Taractes asper'', b ...

'' ( D. S. Jordan & Evermann, 1887) (Pomfret) These two species are easily distinguished from one another as adults. Adult ''T. rubescens'' develop a dense, bony keel on the caudal peduncle that is thought to be composed of enlarged, fused scales, which are absent in ''T. asper''. Additionally, adult ''T. rubescens'' lack a noticeable lateral line, which is typically present in adult ''T. asper''.

Distribution

The genus is widely distributed across both Atlantic and Pacific oceans. ''T. asper'' has been documented to possess range from the

Norwegian Sea The Norwegian Sea ( no, Norskehavet; is, Noregshaf; fo, Norskahavið) is a marginal sea, grouped with either the Atlantic Ocean or the Arctic Ocean, northwest of Norway between the North Sea and the Greenland Sea, adjoining the Barents Sea to ...

to the

Sea of Japan The Sea of Japan is the marginal sea between the Japanese archipelago, Sakhalin, the Korean Peninsula, and the mainland of the Russian Far East. The Japanese archipelago separates the sea from the Pacific Ocean. Like the Mediterranean Sea, it h ...

and

Cape of Good Hope The Cape of Good Hope ( af, Kaap die Goeie Hoop ) ;''Kaap'' in isolation: pt, Cabo da Boa Esperança is a rocky headland on the Atlantic coast of the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. A common misconception is that the Cape of Good Hope is t ...

in Southern Africa. ''T. rubescens'' has been documented in the

Gulf of Mexico The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...

and the Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean. Despite being found across all seas, they remain difficult to collect and are quite uncommon.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1847572 Bramidae