click for previous page

DIRET

1982

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FISHING AREA 51
(W. Indian Ocean)

DIRETMIDAE

Diretmids

Small or medium-sized fishes, usually less than 40 cm in length (standard length). Body deep and strongly
compressed, disc-like to elliptic. Head about as high as long; mouth large, oblique or steep; eye very large, its
diameter about half the head length; teeth in jaws very small, multiserial, no teeth on roof of mouth (palatines
and vomer; gillrakers lath-like. Special glands present beneath qill cover (unique within beryciform fishes).
Vertical fins without spines; dorsal fin base longer than that of anal fin. Scales ctenoid (rough to touch); strong
scutes on ventral midline; lateral line obscure. Swimbladder present.
Colour: silvery or greyish black.

Diretmids are mesopelagic fishes usually occurring at depths between 400 and 600 m; very young specimens
live near the surface, while old adults often descend to below 1 000 m; live singly or in small groups, sometimes
above the continental slope. They feed on small crustaceans and planktonic organisms; nocturnal vertical
migrations probable. All species are dioecious (sexes separate). Apparently abundant locally, and taken as by-
catch in trawl fisheries but of no commercial importance at present.

dorsal fin
long-based

no spines
very large
eyes

no spines

scutes

subopercular
gland
 -2-

FAO Sheets DIRETMIDAE Fishing Area 51

spines

SIMILAR FAMILIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA*:

Trachichthyidae: spines always present in eye small

dorsal and anal fins; eye diameter distinctly less
than half the head length; no dermal glands
under gill cover.

KEY TO SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA*:

1 a. Body disc-like at all sizes (Fig. 1); gill spines

cover with more than 10 radiating
bony ridges on upper third (Fig. 2a); Gephyroberyx darwini (Trachichthyidae)
ventral midline anterior to pelvic fins
sharply keeled, covered with spiny
scutes (Fig. 3a); anus immediately in
front of first anal finray (Fig. 4a) ...….. Diretmus argenteus
1 b. Body elliptic (Figs. 5,6), but some-
times disc-like in juveniles; gill cover
with 3 to 6 radiating bony ridges on
upper third (Fig. 2b); ventral midline
anterior to pelvic fins flat, covered
with normal ctenoid scales (Fig. 3b)
anus half way between origin of pel-
vics and anal fin (Fig. 4b)

7 to 20 4 to 6
radiating Diretmus argenteus Fig.1
bony ridges

spiny scutes

a. Diretmus argenteus

ctenoid scales

a. Diretmus argenteus b. Diretmoides pauciradiatus

gill cover (left side)
Fig.2
b. Diretmoides pauciradiatus
ventral midline of body Fig. 3

anus
anus

pelvic fin keeled mid-

ventral scutes anal fin
pelvic fin

a. Diretmus argenteus anal fin b. Diretmoides pauciradiatus Fig.4

 -3-

FAO Sheets DIRETMIDAE Fishing Area 51

2 a. Dorsal fin rays 24 or 25; anal fin rays 18 to 20; rakers on first gill arch 13
to 15; tips of pelvic fins not, or scarcely, reaching anterior anal fin
ray (Fig. 5) ...................................................................................................... Diretmoides pauciradiatus

2 b. Dorsal fin rays 27 or 28; anal fin rays 21 or 22; rakers on first gill arch
17 to 19; tips of pelvic fins reaching to anterior anal fin rays (Fig. 6) ............................ Diretmoides parini

Diretmoides pauciradiatus Fig.5 Diretmoides crini Fig.6

LIST OF SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA*:

Diretmus argenteus Johnson, 1863

size to 15 cm, occurrence from slightly north of equator to 35° S

Diretmoides arini post & Quéro, 1981

size to 40 cm; two records from 37°S, 66°E and 34°S, 52°E; further records of Diretmoides larvae from
between the equator and 20°S, not referred to species

Diretmoides pauciradiatus (Woods, 1973)

size to 14 cm; no reliable records, but some of the Diretmoides larvae mentioned under D. parini presumably
belong to this species

Prepared by A. Post, Aussenstelle Ichthyologie, Institut Mr Seefischerei, Zoologisches Institut and Zoologisches
Museum, Hamburg, Federal Republic of Germany

Illustrations provided by author

 DREP

1983

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FISHING AREA 51
(W. Indian Ocean)

DREPANIDAE

Sicklefishes

(placed by some authors, together with the Platacidae, in the family Ephippidae)

Body very deep and strongly compressed; head with a parabolic upper profile; snout short; scales absent in
front of eye and on preopercle, lower preopercular margin denticulate; mouth terminal and protrusible, forming a
downward-pointing tube when protracted; teeth small and setiform in bands on each jaw. Dorsal fin with 8 to 10
spines (the first small, procumbent, visible only in young), the spinous part separated from the soft part by a deep
notch and depressible in a high basal scaly sheath; pectoral fins long, falcate; pelvic fins present; anal fin with 3
spines; hind margin of caudal fin rounded. Lateral line strongly arched. Scales of moderate size, finely ctenoid,
extending onto dorsal and anal fins.
Colour: silvery grey above, silvery white below, with dusky spots or grey vertical bars.

mouth
protrusible

3 spines
 -2-

FAO Sheets DREPANIDAE Fishing Area 51

SIMILAR FAMILIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

Ephippidae: pectoral fins short, not falcate; also,

mouth not protrusible.

Platacidae: pectoral fins short, not falcate; also, 5

to 9 spines in dorsal fin, increasing in length posteriorly
and not separated from soft part of fin by a notch.

Scatophagidae: 4 anal fin spines (3 in Drepanidae);

pectoral fins small; head profile concave.

Ephippidae

Scatophagidae
4 spines

KEY TO GENERA OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

Drepane only.

LIST OF SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA: Platacidae

Code numbers are given for those species for which Identification Sheets are included

Drepane longimana (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)*

Drepane punctata (Linnaeus, 1758) DREP Drep 1

Prepared by A. Maugé, Ichtyologie Générale et Appliquée, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 43 rue Cuvier,
75231 Paris, Cedex 05, France. Main species drawings for Drepane punctata provided by author
Revised by P.C. Heemstra, J.L.B. Smith Institute for Ichthyology, Grahamstown, South Africa

*Not unanimously recognized as a valid species (personal comment, Dr P.C. Heemstra)

 DREP Drep 1

1983

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FAMILY: DREPANIDAE FISHING AREA 51

(W. Indian Ocean)

Drepane punctata (Linnaeus, 1758)

OTHER SCIENTIFIC NAMES STILL IN USE: Chaetodon punctata Linnaeus, 1758

VERNACULAR NAMES:

FAO : En - Spotted sicklefish

Fr - Forgeron tacheté
Sp - Catemo manchado
NATIONAL:

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:

Head and body deep, strongly compressed. Mouth protrusible; teeth pointed, slender, crowded together; a
fringe of 4 to 6 short cirri ventrally on lower jaw (absent in specimens 25 cm or more in total length). Dorsal fin
with 8 or 9 spines and 19 to 22 soft rays; the 4th dorsal spine the longest; anal fin with 3 spines and 17 to 19 soft
rays; pectoral fins long and pointed, reaching to base of caudal fin.
 Colour: generally silvery with a greenish tinge on upper half of body and a large orange spot just above base
of pectoral fin; 4 to 11 vertical bars of small black spots on upper half of body; margins of dorsal, anal, caudal
and pelvic fins greyish black.

DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

Drepane longimana: 4 to 9 vertical grey bars on 8 spines

upper half of sides, but no spots; also 8 dorsal fin spines
bars
(9 in D. punctata).

Species of Ephippidae: pectoral fins short, not

falcate; mouth not protrusible.

Species of Scatophagidae: 4 anal fin spines, pecto-

ral fins small; also, head profile concave above snout.

Species of Platacidae: pectoral fins short, not

falcate; spines of dorsal fin increasing in length poste-
riorly; no notch between spinous and soft parts of dorsal
fin.

SIZE:

Maximum: 40 cm; common to 25 cm. Drepane longimana

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:

Across the western indian Ocean trom the Red Sea and
east coast of Africa, southward to Natal to the coasts of
Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. Outside the area extending
eastward to China, the Philippines, Samoa and Australia.
Found in shallow waters around coral and rocky reefs,
living in the sea but entering brackish waters.

Feeds on bottom-living invertebrates and fishes.

PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS:

Shallow waters throughout its range.

CATCHES, FISHING GEAR AND FORMS OF UTILIZATION:

Separate statistics are not reported for this species.

Caught mainly with handlines, traps and bottom trawls.

Marketed fresh only.

 ECHEN

1983

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FISHING AREA 51
(W. Indian Ocean)

ECHENEIDAE

Remoras, sharksuckers, discfishes

Perciform fishes with a transversely laminated, oval-shaped cephalic disc, this structure homologous with
spinous dorsal fin; skull wide, depressed to support disc; body fusiform, elongate. Opercle without spines,
premaxillae not protractile, gill membranes free from isthmus. Jaws broad, the lower projecting beyond the
upper; villiform teeth present in jaws and vomer (centrally on roof of mouth), usually on tongue and in certain
species on palatines (laterally on roof of mouth). Dorsal and anal fins long, lacking spines, dorsal rays range from
18 to 45, anal rays from 18 to 41; pectoral fins set high on body, pointed or rounded, with 18 to 32 rays; pelvic
fins far forward, close together, narrowly or broadly attached to underside of body, with 1 spine and 5 soft rays;
caudal fin slightly forked, emarginate, or slightly rounded (in large specimens of some species), juveniles of some
species with an elongate median caudal filament. Scales small, cycloid (smooth), usually embedded in the skin. No
swimbladder.
Colour: in life colours subdued, pale brown, greyish to black, sometimes light to whitish or with light and
dark horizontal stripes on trunk.

The Echeneidae is divisible into two subfamilles, four genera, eight species, seven of which occur in the
Western Indian Ocean. The remoras attach themselves to many different marine vertebrates including sharks,
rays, tarpons, barracudas, sailfishes, marlins, swordfishes, jacks, basses, groupers, ocean sunfish, sea turtles,
whales, and dolphins; they may also attach to ships and various floating objects. Some remoras have a great
preference or specificity toward certain hosts. Remora australis, the whalesucker, is only known from marine
mammals. Remora osteochir, the marlinsucker, is almost always found attached to spearfishes, particularly the
sailfish and white marlin. The preferred host of Remorina albescens, the white sucker, is the manta ray. Species
of the genus Echeneis are often free-swimming and occur in shallow, inshore waters. Remora and Remorina are
almost always captured on their host where they may be found attached to the body, in the mouth, or in the gill
cavity. Although remoras are not considered to be of any commercial importance, at least Echeneis naucrates is
taken in coastal fisheries along with other species and sold in local markets.

dorsal view of head

showing cephalic disc
 -2-

FAO Sheets ECHENEIDAE Fishing Area 51

SIMILAR FAMILIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

No other family of fishes has a cephalic

sucking disc. The cobia family (Family Rachy-
centridae) bears some resemblance to the remoras.
It has been postulated that a cobia-like ancestor
may have given rise to the echeneid fishes. Rachycentridae

KEY TO GENERA OCCURRING IN THE AREA:

1 a. Body very elongate, the depth contained 8 to 14 times in standard length; pectoral fins
pointed; usually a dark longitudinal band on sides, bordered with white; anal fin base
long, anal rays 29 to 41; caudal fin lanceolate io young, the middle rays filamentous,
almost truncate in adults, the lobes pronounced (subfamily Echeneinae) (Fig. 1)
2 a. Sucking disc with 18 to 28 laminae; vertebrae 30 ............................................................... Echeneis

2 b. Sucking disc with 9 to 11 laminae; vertebrae 39 to 41 ............................................... Phtheirichthys

1 b. Body not elongate, the depth contained 5 to 8 times in standard length; pectoral fins
rounded; colour nearly uniform, without bands; anal fin base short, anal rays 18 to 28;
caudal fin forked in young becoming emarginate or truncate in adults (subfamily
Remorinae) (Fig. 2)
3 a. Pelvic fins broadly attached to abdomen; disc laminae 15 to 19; vertebrae
27; colour light to dark brown; hosts include sharks, billfishes or cetaceans,
depending on species .............................................................................................….. Remora

3 b. Pelvic fins narrowly attached to abdomen disc laminae 13 or 14; vertebrae

26; colour whitish; usual host, manta rays ……............................................................ Remorina

Echeneis Fig.1 Remora Fig.2

LIST OF SPECIES OCCURRING IN MARINE WATERS OF THE AREA :*

Code numbers are given for those species for which Identification Sheets are included
Echeneis naucrates Linnaeus, 1758 ECHEN Echen 1

Phtheirichthys lineatus (Menzies, 1791)

Remora australis (Bennett, 1840)

Remora beachyptera (Lowe, 1839)
Remora osteochir Cuvier, 1829)
Remora remora Linnaeus, 1758)
Remorina albescens (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845)

Prepared by E.A. Lachner, Division of Fishes, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution,
Washington, DC, USA, and B.B. Collette, National Marine Fisheries Service, Systematics Laboratory, Washington,
DC, USA

*The only remora species not occurring in this area is Echeneis naucratoides Zuieuw, which is confined to the
W. Atlantic Ocean
 ECHEN Echen 1

1983

FAO SPECIES IDENTIFICATION SHEETS

FAMILY: ECHENEIDAE FISHING AREA 51

(W. Indian Ocean)

Echeneis naucrates Linnaeus, 1758

OTHER SCIENTIFIC NAMES STILL IN USE : None

VERNACULAR NAMES:

FAO : En - Live sharksucker

Fr - Rémora commun
Sp - Pegatimón

NATIONAL:

DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS:

An elongate fish, depth of body contained 8 to 14 times in standard length. Jaws broad, the lower projecting
beyond the upper. First dorsal fin replaced by a transversal, laminated, oval cephalic disc with 16 to 28 laminae;
second dorsal fin and anal fin long, lacking spines, the anal with 29 to 41 rays; pectoral fins short, high on body,
pointed; caudal fin lanceolate in young, the middle rays elongate and filamentous; almost truncate in adults, with
the upper and lower lobes larger than the middle rays.
Colour: dark longitudinal band on sides bordered with white. Juveniles with upper and lower margins of fins
white.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERS OF SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRING IN THE AREA:
9 to 11 laminae
Phtheirichthys lineatus: sucking disc with
only 9 to 11 laminae 18 to 28 in Echeneis
naucrates).

Remora and Remorina species: shorter-

bodied, the depth contained 5 to 8 times in
standard length (8 to 14 times in Echeneis); colour
nearly uniform, without a lateral band; anal fin
base short, with 16 to 28 rays (29 to 41 in
Echeneis); sucking disc with 13 to 19 laminae (18
to 28 in Echeneis).
Phtheirichthys lineatus

SIZE:
body deeper
Maximum: more than 75 cm total length, 66
cm standard length.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION AND BEHAVIOUR:

World-wide in tropical and temperate seas;

probably absent from the Red Sea and the Persian
Gulf. Remora species

Unlike most other remoras, Echeneis

naucrates is often found free-swimming and
occurs in shallow inshore waters. It will attach
temporarily to a wide variety of hosts such as
sharks and sea turtles and also to ships. Some-
times used by natives as an aid to fishing. A line
is tied to the caudal peduncle of the remora and
then it is released; upon attaching to another
fish, the remora and its host are hauled in by the
fishermen.

PRESENT FISHING GROUNDS :

Shallow coastal waters; no special fishery.

CATCHES, FISHING GEAR AND FORMS OF UTILIZATION:

Separate statistics are not reported for this

species.

Taken with drift nets and trawls on the west

coast of India.

Regularly sold in the markets at Cochin in

southwest India.

click for next page