Lutjanus argentimaculatus, Forsskal 1775
Preopercular notch and knob poorly developed. Generally greenish brown on back, grading to reddish on sides and ventral parts. Trawl specimens from deep water frequently are reddish with dark scale centers and white scale margins, giving a reticulated appearance. Juveniles with a series of about eight whitish bars crossing sides, and 1 or 2 blue lines across cheek.
Not evaluated
No black spot, generally brownish or red
L. argentimaculatus distinguished from the L. bohar by its longer snout and truncate tail and more bronze to greenish coloration.
Generally greenish brown on back grding to reddish on sides and ventral parts; scales with dark centers and white margins giving overall reticulated effect. Mouth somewhat oblique, maxillary reaching to below front border of pupil. Small teeth in narrow bands in the jaws, with an outer series of enlarged ones, a few of which in the anterior part of the upper jaw are canines. Small teeth in a ^ shaped band or in a triangular patch with a posterior prolongation or in a diamond-shaped patch, on the vomer. On palatines an elongate patch of similar teeth. Scales beginning on occiput with a distinct temporal band. Preoperculum with 7-8 transverse rows of scales, posterior and inferior preopercular limb naked. Posterior and inferior border of preoperculum denticulated. Preopercular notch distinct, but shallow. Longitudinal rows of scales above lateral line parallel to it in the anterior part, ascending to dorsal profile below posterior part of spinous dorsal, parallel to axis of body below lateral line. About 47-53 transverse rows of scales above, and 38-44 below lateral line. Dorsal spines slender. First spine less than half length of second, which is shorter than third. Third and fourth spine longest, nearly equal to post orbital part of head. Soft dorsal rounded, higher or lower than spinous part. First anal spine less than half length of second, which is equal to or somewhat longer than third one, equal to snout in young specimens, shorter than snout in large specimens. Anal rounded. Soft anal rays much higher than spines. Pectorals about one half of snout shorter than head. Ventrals as long as eye and snout together, ventral spine equal to snout. Caudal slightly emarginate. Dorsal spines (total): 10-10, Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-14, Anal spines: 3, Anal soft rays: 7-8
Grows upto 80-150 cm in length and recorded weight was 8.7 kg
Indo-West Pacific: East Africa to Samoa and the Line Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Australia. Has dispersed into the eastern Mediterranean (off Lebanon) via the Suez Canal but not well established there. Occur on both east and west of India
Reef associated, deep sea, estuarine, some times in lower reaches of freshwater streams. Found from 10 to 120 m depth. Juveniles found in mangrove ecosysytem. It migrates from offshore to deeper reef areas (Allen. 1985).
Spawning occur throught the year. Fertilisation is external. Fertilized eggs of L. argentimaculatus are transparent, spherical and pelagic, measure 0.74-0.81 mm in diameter
Secondary consumer
Mass moratality in hatchery reared juvenile L. argentimaculatus due to parasitic dinoflagellate, Amyloodinium ocellatum was reported in the Philippines (Cruz-Lacierda et al. 2004). Mortality due to possible ammonia poisoning was observed at Tuticorin bay, East coast of India (Asha et al., 2009). Fish lymphocystis disease (FLD) cause due to iridovirus measuring 130-330 nm, was reported in marine net cage cultured L. argentimaculatus in China (Yogija, 1992) and in South east Asia (Chang & Chao, 1986).
A importent market species with excellent flesh throught the Indo-Pacific region, but never found in large quantities. A fine game fish.
Sciaena argentimaculata Forsskal, 1775: XI, 47 (Arabia)
From Talwar and Kacker, 1984
Longitudinal rows of scales above lateral line parallel to it anteriorly, but sometimes appearing to rise obliquely somewhat below posterior part of spinous or soft dorsal fin......
Scale-row above lateral line appear to rise obliquely under posterior part of spinous dorsal fin; scales on head begining behind eyes; colour deep red, with a silvery spot sometimes in center of each scale...
Zoobenthos, bony fishes, crabs, mysids, shrimps
Caught mainly with hand lines, bottom longlines, bottom set gill nets and trawls. Taken commercially in the Andamans and Maharastra coasts of India
Sciaena argentata (Gmelin) Mesoprion immaculatus Bleeker, 1849 Alphestes gembra (Schneider) Mesoprion rangus Cantor, 1850 Mesoprion flavipinnis (Cuvier) Mesoprion gembra Cantor Mesoprion olivaceus (Cuvier) Mesoprion gembra Bleeker, 1853 Alphestes gembra Bloch & Schneider, 1801(JS) Mesoprion gembra Gunther, 1859 Alphestes sambra Bloch & Schneider, 1801 (JS) Mesoprion rangus Kner, 1865 Diacope superbus Castelnau, 1878 (JS) Mesoprion sambra Peters, 1865 Diacopus superbus Castelnau, 1878 (JS) Mesoprion sambra Steindachner, 1867 Lutianus jahngarah Day, 1875 (JS) Diacope argentimaculata Klunzinger, 1870 Lutianus salmonoides Gilchrist & Thompson, 1908 (JS) Mesoprion garretti Gunther, 1875 Lutjanus vaigiensis (non Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) (MN) Lutjanus argentimaculatus Day, 1888 Mesoprion flavipinnis Cuvier, 1828 (JS) Lutjanus roseus Day Mesoprion flavipinnis Cuvier, 1828 (JS) Lutjanus argentimaculatus Bleeker, 1877 Mesoprion garretti Günther, 1873 (JS) Mesoprion argentimaculatus Klunzinger, 1880 Mesoprion griseoides Guichenot, 1863 (JS) Mesoprion argentimaculatus Macleay, 1884 Mesoprion obscurus Macleay, 1881 (JS) Mesoprion argentimaculatus Klunzinger, 1884 Mesoprion olivaceus Cuvier, 1828 (JS) Lutjanus gembra Sauvage, 1891 Mesoprion roseigaster Macleay, 1881 (JS) L. argentimaculatus Jordan and Evermann, 1902 Mesoprion sexfasciatus Macleay, 1883 (JS) L. argentimaculatus Jordan and Seale, 1906 Mesoprion taeniops Valenciennes, 1830 (JS) L. argentimaculatus Jordan and Richardson, 1908 Perca argentata Bloch & Schneider, 1801 (JS) L. argentimaculatus Snyder, 1912 Sciaena argentata Gmelin, 1789 (JS) L. argentimaculatus M. Weber, 1913 Sciaena argentimaculata Forsskal, 1775 (SS) L. argentimaculatus Pellegrin, 1914 Labrus argentatus Lacepede, 1802 L. gembra Barnard, 1927 Diacope argentimaculata Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1828 L. argentimaculatus Fowler, 1931 Mesoprion gembra Cuvier and Valenciennes L. argentimaculatus Chevey, 1932 Diacope rosea Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1830 JS= Junior Synonym, MN= Misapplied Name, SS= Senior Synonym.