Brama caribbea
Brama caribbea is a species of Brama in the family Bramidae. It can be distinguished from congeners through the following characteristics:
- Possessing pectoral fins that are placed high on the body in both juvenile ‘’and’’ adult stages
- Having relatively short ventral fins
- Possessing fewer than 60 scales in a horizontal series between the gill opening and caudal fin base
- Having a total number of vertebrae equaling 38 or fewer (modally 36)
- Having 19–21 pectoral fin rays[1][2]
Caribbean pomfret | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Actinopterygii |
Order: | Perciformes |
Family: | Bramidae |
Genus: | Brama |
Species: | B. caribbea |
Binomial name | |
Brama caribbea (Mead, 1972) | |
Distribution
Unlike many of its relatives, B. caribbea appears to be more closely associated with landmasses, specifically those associated with the Caribbean (from which its name is derived) and the Northeastern coastal waters of Brazil.[1][3][2][4]
Diet
The Caribbean pomfret consumes a range of food items, but primarily forages for crustaceans (~48% of their diet, largely being euphausiacids and Brachyscelus crusculum), fishes (28%, primarily myctophids and Acanthurus species), and cephalopods (15%, including enoplotheuthids and ommastreohids).[5]
Reproduction
Spawning takes place during the winter, beginning in late August and ending in May, and appears to occur throughout the distribution of the species rather than a central location. However, data are limited.[1]
References
- G. W. Mead (1972). "Bramidae". Dana Report. 81: 1–166.
- A. Carvalho-filho; G. Marcovaldi; C.L.S. Sampaio; M.I.G. Paiva; L.A.G Duarte (2009). "First report of rare pomfrets (Teleostei: Bramidae) from Brazilian waters, with a key to Western Atlantic species". Zootaxa. 2290: 1–26.
- Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2020). "Brama caribbea" in FishBase. January 2020 version.
- E. Gutiérrez; A. Fernández; R. Hernández (2005). "Brama caribbea (Pisces: Bramidae), un nuevo registro para las aguas cubanas". Solenodon. 5: 76–78.
- T.V. Júnior; R.P. Lessa; T.M. Barbosa; M.T. Tolotti; A.C.B. Ribeiro (2006). "Stomach contents of the Caribbean pomfret Brama caribbea (Mead, 1972) from stomach contents of great pelagic predators from Southwester equatorial Atlantic". B. Inst. Pesca, São Paulo. 34 (2): 241–249.