Caranx sansun
Encyclopedia
Caranx sansun is a dubious species
of marine
fish
classified in the jack family Carangidae
. Initially named as Scomber sansun, the validity of the species has been questioned by a number of authors, with the most recent review of Indo-Pacific
carangids indicating it is probably a synonym
of the blacktip trevally
, Caranx heberi. However, this synonymy has not been accepted by all authorities, with Fishbase
and ITIS
both recognising it as a valid species. Due to the species name not being used by fisheries authorities or scientists, the species has no common name
.
, one of a number of groups known as the jacks or trevallies. Caranx itself is part of the larger jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae
, a group of percoid
fishes in the order Perciformes
.
The species was first described in a 1775 posthumous work by the Swedish naturalist
Peter Forsskål
under the name Scomber sansun, with the description based on a fish taken from the Red Sea
off Yemen
. No holotype
is known to exist; neither are any replacement types, making proper identification difficult if not impossible. The species was initially referred to the broad mackerel genus Scomber
as the genus Caranx was yet to be created.
by the two major taxonomic authorities this encyclopedia follows, ITIS
and FishBase
. Despite this, the species has not been included in any review since 1968 when JLB Smith effectively labeled the species a nomen dubium
, meaning correct identification cannot be made due to lack of material. Early reviews of the carangids such as Cuvier
's extensive 1833 volume Histoire Naturelle des Poissons
treated the species as valid, although often noted similarity to other species, including those later be known as Caranx heberi, Caranx sexfasciatus and Caranx papuensis. Like many species of carangid, the species remained in use based only on the description by Forsskal until 1968 when JLB Smith reviewed the taxon Scomber sansun. The research failed to find any type specimens and Smith attempted to resolve the taxon by splitting it into two species, which he named Caranx williamsi and Caranx celetus, and assigned holotype specimens.
These species were both sunk by William Smith-Vaniz in major reviews of the Carangidae for the FAO
Species Identification Program. C. williamsi is a junior synonym of Caranx heberi and C. celetus is synonymous with Caranx papuensis, with which the species was often wrongly confused. The loss of the holotype specimen effectively renders the species a nomen dubium, with only the initial descriptions of the species available. The species was referred to as a possible synonym of Caranx heberi by Smith-Vaniz in the last major review of the Indo-Pacific carangids based on earlier descriptions.
slightly longer than the upper. The dorsal fin
is in two parts, with the first fin containing 8 spines and the second consisting of 1 spine and 19 to 20 soft rays. The anal fin has two anteriorly detached spines followed by 1 spine attached to 16 or 17 soft rays.
The lateral line
is curved anteriorly, with the curved and straight sections of approximately equal length and containing 30 to 32 scute
s in the straight section. Colour is said to be silver dorsally and golden yellow ventrally, with all fins yellow except the spinous dorsal fin, which is grey. There is no dark opercular
spot. All the above parameters are consistent with those of Caranx heberi. The range is given as the Red Sea and the seas of India
, again consistent with C. heberi.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
classified in the jack family Carangidae
Carangidae
Carangidae is a family of fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, and scads.They are marine fish found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans...
. Initially named as Scomber sansun, the validity of the species has been questioned by a number of authors, with the most recent review of Indo-Pacific
Indo-Pacific
The Indo-Pacific is a biogeographic region of the Earth's seas, comprising the tropical waters of the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two in the general area of Indonesia...
carangids indicating it is probably a synonym
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
of the blacktip trevally
Blacktip trevally
The blacktip trevally, Caranx heberi , is a species of large marine fish classified in the jack family Carangidae. The blacktip trevally is distributed throughout the tropical to subtropical Indian and West Pacific Oceans, ranging from South Africa in the west to Fiji, Japan and northern Australia...
, Caranx heberi. However, this synonymy has not been accepted by all authorities, with Fishbase
FishBase
FishBase is a comprehensive database of information about fish species . It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web...
and ITIS
Itis
Itis may refer to* Integrated Taxonomic Information System, a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species...
both recognising it as a valid species. Due to the species name not being used by fisheries authorities or scientists, the species has no common name
Common name
A common name of a taxon or organism is a name in general use within a community; it is often contrasted with the scientific name for the same organism...
.
Taxonomy and naming
As accepted by some taxonomic authorities, the species is classified within the genus CaranxCaranx
Caranx is a genus of tropical to subtropical marine fish in the jack family Carangidae, commonly known as jacks, trevallies and kingfishes. They are moderate to large sized, deep bodied fishes which are distinguished from other carangid genera by specific gill raker, fin ray and dentition...
, one of a number of groups known as the jacks or trevallies. Caranx itself is part of the larger jack and horse mackerel family Carangidae
Carangidae
Carangidae is a family of fish which includes the jacks, pompanos, jack mackerels, and scads.They are marine fish found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans...
, a group of percoid
Percoidei
Percoidei is one of eighteen suborders of bony fish in the order Perciformes. Many commercially harvested fish species are contained in this suborder, including the snappers, jacks, whitings, groupers, bass, perches and porgies.-Divisions:...
fishes in the order Perciformes
Perciformes
The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, is one of the largest orders of vertebrates, containing about 40% of all bony fish. Perciformes means perch-like. They belong to the class of ray-finned fish and comprise over 7,000 species found in almost all aquatic environments...
.
The species was first described in a 1775 posthumous work by the Swedish naturalist
Naturalist
Naturalist may refer to:* Practitioner of natural history* Conservationist* Advocate of naturalism * Naturalist , autobiography-See also:* The American Naturalist, periodical* Naturalism...
Peter Forsskål
Peter Forsskål
Peter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist, naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus.-Early life:...
under the name Scomber sansun, with the description based on a fish taken from the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
off Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. No holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
is known to exist; neither are any replacement types, making proper identification difficult if not impossible. The species was initially referred to the broad mackerel genus Scomber
Scomber
Scomber is a genus of ocean-dwelling mackerels in the family Scombridae.-Species:FishBase lists four species:* Blue mackerel, Scomber australasicus Cuvier, 1832.* Atlantic Chub Mackerel, Scomber colias Gmelin, 1789....
as the genus Caranx was yet to be created.
Synonymy
Caranx sansun is accepted as a valid taxonTaxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
by the two major taxonomic authorities this encyclopedia follows, ITIS
Itis
Itis may refer to* Integrated Taxonomic Information System, a partnership designed to provide consistent and reliable information on the taxonomy of biological species...
and FishBase
FishBase
FishBase is a comprehensive database of information about fish species . It is the largest and most extensively accessed online database on adult finfish on the web...
. Despite this, the species has not been included in any review since 1968 when JLB Smith effectively labeled the species a nomen dubium
Nomen dubium
In zoological nomenclature, a nomen dubium is a scientific name that is of unknown or doubtful application...
, meaning correct identification cannot be made due to lack of material. Early reviews of the carangids such as Cuvier
Georges Cuvier
Georges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
's extensive 1833 volume Histoire Naturelle des Poissons
Histoire Naturelle des Poissons
Histoire Naturelle des Poissons was a 22-volume study of Ichthyology written by Georges Cuvier and his student Achille Valenciennes in the 1830s....
treated the species as valid, although often noted similarity to other species, including those later be known as Caranx heberi, Caranx sexfasciatus and Caranx papuensis. Like many species of carangid, the species remained in use based only on the description by Forsskal until 1968 when JLB Smith reviewed the taxon Scomber sansun. The research failed to find any type specimens and Smith attempted to resolve the taxon by splitting it into two species, which he named Caranx williamsi and Caranx celetus, and assigned holotype specimens.
These species were both sunk by William Smith-Vaniz in major reviews of the Carangidae for the FAO
Fão
Fão is a town in Esposende Municipality in Portugal....
Species Identification Program. C. williamsi is a junior synonym of Caranx heberi and C. celetus is synonymous with Caranx papuensis, with which the species was often wrongly confused. The loss of the holotype specimen effectively renders the species a nomen dubium, with only the initial descriptions of the species available. The species was referred to as a possible synonym of Caranx heberi by Smith-Vaniz in the last major review of the Indo-Pacific carangids based on earlier descriptions.
Description
Caranx sansun has had a maximum size of 91.4 cm attributed to it. The species is described as having a dorsal profile more strongly convex than the ventral, with the lower jawJaw
The jaw is any opposable articulated structure at the entrance of the mouth, typically used for grasping and manipulating food. The term jaws is also broadly applied to the whole of the structures constituting the vault of the mouth and serving to open and close it and is part of the body plan of...
slightly longer than the upper. The dorsal fin
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
is in two parts, with the first fin containing 8 spines and the second consisting of 1 spine and 19 to 20 soft rays. The anal fin has two anteriorly detached spines followed by 1 spine attached to 16 or 17 soft rays.
The lateral line
Lateral line
The lateral line is a sense organ in aquatic organisms , used to detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water. Lateral lines are usually visible as faint lines running lengthwise down each side, from the vicinity of the gill covers to the base of the tail...
is curved anteriorly, with the curved and straight sections of approximately equal length and containing 30 to 32 scute
Scute
A scute or scutum is a bony external plate or scale, as on the shell of a turtle, the skin of crocodilians, the feet of some birds or the anterior portion of the mesonotum in insects.-Properties:...
s in the straight section. Colour is said to be silver dorsally and golden yellow ventrally, with all fins yellow except the spinous dorsal fin, which is grey. There is no dark opercular
Operculum (fish)
The operculum of a bony fish is the hard bony flap covering and protecting the gills. In most fish, the rear edge of the operculum roughly marks the division between the head and the body....
spot. All the above parameters are consistent with those of Caranx heberi. The range is given as the Red Sea and the seas of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, again consistent with C. heberi.