Southern sennet
| Southern sennet | |
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| Species: | S. picudilla
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| Binomial name | |
| Sphyraena picudilla Poey, 1860
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The Southern sennet, Sphyraena picudilla, is an ocean-going species of game fish in the Barracuda family, or Sphyraenidae. It was described by the Cuban zoologist Felipe Poey. The description was part of a two-volume work, which Poey published in 1860, entitled Historia Natural de la Isla de Cuba or "Natural History of the Island of Cuba". Southern sennet are sometimes used as a food fish, and marketed either fresh or frozen.[1] Although they are generally harmless, Southern sennet have been linked to ciguatera poisoning.[2]
Description
Southern sennet, like other members of the Sphyraenidae family, possess elongated bodies, pike-like heads, and large jaws.[3] The lower jaw protrudes slightly from the upper jaw, both of which contain fang-like teeth.[3] They have two dorsal fins, which are widely separated on their backs. The anterior dorsal fin usually possesses spines while the posterior only has rays.[3] Southern sennet have 6 spines, and 9 rays on their dorsal fins. they have only 2 spines and 9 rays on their anal fins.[1] The longest recorded Southern sennet was 2 feet long;[4] the greatest recorded weight was 2 lbs 8 oz.[4]
Distribution and habitat
Southern sennet are known only from the western Atlantic ocean from Bermuda, Florida, and the Bahamas south to Uruguay.[1] They are found in tropical climates from 32°N to 38°S. Southern sennet live in costal waters near reefs, although they are more common over muddy bottoms,[5] at depths from 1-65 m,[6] where they often occur in in large schools near the surface.[6] Juveniles are commonly found over beds of seagrass.[6]
References
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Sphyraena picudilla". FishBase. July 2009 version.
- ^ Dammann, A.E. 1969 Study of the fisheries potential of the Virgin Islands. Special Report. Contribution No. 1. Virgin Islands Ecological Research Station.
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Family Sphyraenidae". FishBase. January 2006 version.
- ^ a b IGFA 2001 Database of IGFA angling records until 2001. IGFA, Fort Lauderdale, USA.
- ^ Lieske, E. and R. Myers 1994 Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
- ^ a b c Cervigón, F. 1993 Los peces marinos de Venezuela. Volume 2. Fundación Científica Los Roques, Caracas,Venezuela. 497 p