Priacanthus hamrur, Forsskal 1775
Not evaluated
Harmless to human
Body deep, ovate, and laterally compressed; body depth 2.6 to 2.8 times in standard length. Anterior profile slightly asymmetrical, tip of protruding lower jaw usually above midline of body. Small teeth on dentaries, vomer, palatines, and premaxillaries. Spine at angle of preopercle reduced or non-existent in specimens over 12.5 cm total length. Total gill rakers on first gill arch 24 to 26. Scales modified, the posterior field elevated as a separate flange with spinules both on surface and posterior margin. Scales in lateral series 79 to 96; pored lateral-line scales 70 to 90. Vertical scale rows (dorsal-fin origin to anus) 48 to 57. Swimbladder with pair of anterior and posterior protrusions, the former associated with specialized recesses in posterior of skull.
Shoaling, Demersal
Dorsal fin with 13 to 15 soft rays. Anal fin with III spines and 13 to 16 soft rays. Caudal fin with concave margin, slightly emarginate to lunate. Pectoral-fin rays 17 to 20. Color of body red, head, and iris of eye; sometimes silvery white with pattern of broad reddish bars on head and body; row of small dark spots sometimes evident along lateral line; fins red to light pink, with light dusky to nearly black in dorsal-, anal-, and caudal-fin membranes; fins occasionally with yellow.
Maximum total length 45 cm while commonly occurs at 40 cm. Trawl catches mainly contents fish of 15-20 cm along coasts of india
Widespread in the Indo-West Pacific from Red Sea and South Africa to northern Australia and southern Japan and eastward to at least Tuamotu in French Polynesia
Occurs near reefs and rocky areas at depths ranging from less than 20 to 250 m or more, but probably most common at 30 to 50 m. Prefers outer reef slopes to more sheltered environments.
Vijayakumaran and Naik (1988) have concluded that P.hamrur perform a shallow water migration during premonsoon months towards south, to deeper waters at West coast of India.
According to Sivakami et al., 2001, P. hamrur off Cochin, West coast has an extended spawning season during April - July, while ripe ovaries also seen during November December indicate that P. hamrur also spawn in this season. Fecundity of P. hamrur ranged between 1,55,800 to 7,22,313 (average: 3,80,071). Mandy and Inasu, 2002 also reported two peak spawning seasons, March-Augest and November-December for same species off central Kerala, West coast. They also concluded that south west and north east monsoon plays important role in the reproduction of P. hamrur. The minimum size at maturity was found to be 19.8 cm and absolut fecundity was observed at about 1,52,112 for a fish size 34 cm and 375 gm. Qasim (1973) found that along the east coast spawning mainly occurs during pre-monsoon months (February-May).
Philip and Mathew (1996) reported positive allometric growth, i.e., the fish grew stouter with increased length on a population of P. hamrur collected from coastal water along the east coast. While Thomas et al., 2003 reported negative allometric growth trend with an increase in depth (beyond 250 m). This may be attributed to the difference in depths at which the fish were caught where there is a distinct pattern in the distribution of the population with respect to age and sex across the depth zones.
A new cymothoid isopod Nerocila priacanthusi was reported from P. hamrur of Waltair coast, Andhra Pradesh, India (Kumari et al., 1987). A parasite copepod, Lernaeolophus sultanus (Nordmann) was reported first time in India from branchial cavity, attached to operculum of P. hamrur (Natarajan and Nair, 1977). A new parasite species, Dupliciporia lanterna (Digenea: Zoogonidae), is described from the digestive tract of Priacanthus hamrur from the waters off New Caledonia, South Pacific (Bray and Justine, 2008). A gonad infecting dracunculoid nematode, Philometra priacanthi sp. n. (males) was reported from the gonads of P. hamrur from New Caledonia (Moravec and Justine, 2009)
Marketed in fresh condition. Use as a aquarium fish.
English : Dusky finned bull's eye, Moontail bull's eye
West coast of India East coast of India
Gujarathi : Ratado, Dorali Tamil : Kakkasi
Marathi : Tambi Telugu : Bochelu
Kannada: Disco meenu Oriya : Alta-punti
Malayalam : Bullsai Bengali : Alta-punti
Lakshadweep Island : Lobodugini, Kulakkathi, Mannaram
Sciaena hamrur Forsskal, 1775, Descript. Animal. : 45 (Type locality: Djedda, Red sea)
From Talwar and Kacker, 1984
Pelvic fins very large, conspicuously longer than head, pelvic fin spine about 31% of standard length, pelvic fins jet black.....
Dorsal fin with 14 or 15 soft rays, spine at angle of preoperculum short, indistinct in large adults, pelvic fins black or partly black, no spots......
P. hamrur is a carnivorus fish mainly feeds on pelagic crusteceans, fish and smaller molluscs. Among crusteceans, Euphausids are most prefered food item, followed by Brachyurian crabs megalopa larvae, such as Portunus spp. and Porcellanid spp., then Penaeid shrimps, Squilla spp. and Alima larvae. Among fishes main prey items are Stolophorus spp., silverbellies, lizard fishes, flat fishes. Squids, cuttle fishes and octopus among molluscan group. Small size (15.1 to 19 cm) P. hamrur feds on detritus and polychaete worms (Abdurahiman et al 2010).
Coastwise, the resource is landed more in the west coast from a depth range of 20-150 m than the east coast, from a depth range of 10- 80 m. Seasonally, Priacanthids were abundant during October-March along the north west coast and during December - March and August-October along the south west coast of India. Caught manily by trawls, gill nets. Trwal catches in the east coast of india at depth of of 60-250 m usually caught fishes of 15-20 cm total length.