Vadigo
Encyclopedia
The vadigo, Campogramma glaycos (also known as the big-toothed pompano, zippered pompano, lexa and lexola), is a species
of medium sized coastal marine
fish
in the jack family, Carangidae
. The species is distributed throughout the eastern Atlantic Ocean
from the British Isles
in the north to Senegal
in the south, also entering the western Mediterranean Sea
. The vadigo is similar in form to both the leatherjacks and the queenfish
, but can be distinguished by its scaleless
chest and a broad, rounded upper jaw. It is a predatory fish, preying mostly on smaller schooling fishes. The species was initially classified under the genus
Centronotus before being transferred to it own monotypic
genus of Campogramma. The vadigo is of minor commercial importance
throughout its range, and is also considered to be a game fish
.
genus Campogramma, which itself is one of 31 genera in the family Carangidae
, which contains the jacks, horse mackerels and pompanos. The Carangidae are Perciform fishes in the suborder Percoidei
.
The species was first scientifically described by Bernard Germain de Lacépède in 1801 under the name of Centronotus glaycos. In 1903, Charles Tate Regan transferred the species to a new genus, Campogramma, creating the valid combination in use today (Centronotus is now considered a synonym of Naucrates). The species has two junior synonyms, the first was described in 1941 as Oligoplites africana by Delsman and the second in 1955 by Dollfus, who named Campogramma lirio. Early phylogenetic treatments of the species placed it in the subfamily Trachinotinae without substantiating evidence. A review of the genus by Smith-Vaniz and Staiger cited several anatomical characters which were incompatible with the Trachinotinae, however would group it within the Naucratinae. They further suggested it was a close relative of Seriola
, which was later reaffirmed by a comprehensive overview of the carangids by Gushiken. In this study, it was found to be most closely related to the rainbow runner
, Elegatis bipinnulata, with both Campogramma and Elegatis basal members of Naucratinae. No recent genetic studies have investigated the species.
The species is commonly known as the vadigo, which is the designated FishBase
name, as well as the big-toothed pompano, zippered pompano, lexa and lexola.
. It has an elongate, moderately deep and slightly compress
ed body, with the dorsal profile slightly more convex than the ventral profile.
The upper jaw
is broad and rounded at its end with a single row of large, widely spaced canines
in both the upper and lower jaw. The dorsal fin
is in two parts; the first consisting of 6 or 7 short, often unconnected spines while the second dorsal fin consists of a single spine followed by 26 to 28 sof rays.
The anal fin is similar in appearance to the second dorsal fin, having two detached spines followed by one spine attached to 23 to 25 soft rays. Both the ventral and pectoral fins are short, with the ventral consisting of one spine followed by 5 soft rays and the pectoral having 17 rays. The caudal fin is large and highly forked having 30 rays in total. The body is covered in small ctenoid scales except for part of the chest area which is naked. The species has no scute
s. The vadigo has 24 vertebrae in total, and has 4 to 6 upper gill raker
s and 9 to 12 lower rakers.
The vadigo has a steel blue to green upper body extending to midway down its side where the darker colour terminates in a series of zig-zagging lobes, with the ventral colour being silver to white. All fins are hyaline
to grey with the exception of the caudal fin which is often yellowish.
only, distributed from The British Isles
in the north to Senegal
in the south, with the species also found around distant offshore island
s including Madeira
and the Canary Islands
. The species is also common in the western Mediterranean Sea
, where it has recently been found to extend as far north as the Adriatic Sea
. The authors who reported this northern capture believe this shows an expansion of the vadigo's range, comparing it to a number of other carangid species who have recently been found outside of their normal range.
The adults of the species are pelagic or epibenthic, inhabiting mostly shallow waters between 15 and 30 m in depth. It moves to more coastal waters during the summer in the Mediterranean.
. The eggs of the species are known to be pelagic and occur in a single seasonal peak each year, suggesting the species has a single spawning
event annually.
The species is of minor importance to commercial fisheries throughout its range, often taken by bottom and pelagic trawls. It is typically sold fresh, frozen or dried and salted and is also used for production of fishmeal and oil
. It is considered to be a good table fish.
Vadigo are occasionally caught by recreational fishermen
, and are considered to be a fine sports fish. They may be caught on fish baits or lures, and are most abundant in the Mediterranean between July and September.
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 medium sized coastal 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...
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...
. The species is distributed throughout the eastern Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
from the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
in the north to Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
in the south, also entering the western Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. The vadigo is similar in form to both the leatherjacks and the queenfish
Queenfish
Queenfish are a species of croaker occurring from Uncle Sam Bank, Baja California, to Yaquina Bay, Oregon; they are the only species in the genus Seriphus. They are common during summer in shallow water around pier pilings on sandy bottoms. They are found at depths up to 180 feet; however, occur...
, but can be distinguished by its scaleless
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
chest and a broad, rounded upper jaw. It is a predatory fish, preying mostly on smaller schooling fishes. The species was initially classified under the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Centronotus before being transferred to it own monotypic
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus of Campogramma. The vadigo is of minor commercial importance
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
throughout its range, and is also considered to be a game fish
Game fish
Game fish are fish pursued for sport by recreational anglers. They can be freshwater or marine fish. Game fish can be eaten after being caught, though increasingly anglers practise catch and release to improve fish populations. Some game fish are also targeted commercially, particularly...
.
Taxonomy and naming
The vadigo is the only species classified in the monotypicMonotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
genus Campogramma, which itself is one of 31 genera in the 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...
, which contains the jacks, horse mackerels and pompanos. The Carangidae are Perciform fishes in the suborder Percoidei
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:...
.
The species was first scientifically described by Bernard Germain de Lacépède in 1801 under the name of Centronotus glaycos. In 1903, Charles Tate Regan transferred the species to a new genus, Campogramma, creating the valid combination in use today (Centronotus is now considered a synonym of Naucrates). The species has two junior synonyms, the first was described in 1941 as Oligoplites africana by Delsman and the second in 1955 by Dollfus, who named Campogramma lirio. Early phylogenetic treatments of the species placed it in the subfamily Trachinotinae without substantiating evidence. A review of the genus by Smith-Vaniz and Staiger cited several anatomical characters which were incompatible with the Trachinotinae, however would group it within the Naucratinae. They further suggested it was a close relative of Seriola
Seriola
Seriola is a genus of bony fish, commonly known as amberjacks. Nine species are currently recognized, although these were formerly split into many more...
, which was later reaffirmed by a comprehensive overview of the carangids by Gushiken. In this study, it was found to be most closely related to the rainbow runner
Rainbow runner
The rainbow runner , also known as the rainbow yellowtail, Spanish jack and Hawaiian salmon, is a common species of pelagic marine fish of the jack family, Carangidae. The species is widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the world, inhabiting both coastal as well as far...
, Elegatis bipinnulata, with both Campogramma and Elegatis basal members of Naucratinae. No recent genetic studies have investigated the species.
The species is commonly known as the vadigo, which is the designated 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...
name, as well as the big-toothed pompano, zippered pompano, lexa and lexola.
Description
The vadigo is similar in form to other carangids, particularly the genera Oligoplites and Scomberoides, commonly known as queenfish and leatherjacks. It is a moderately large fish growing to at least 60 cm, although some less reliable sources state a maximum length of 65 cm with a maximum published weight of 2.8 kgKilogram
The kilogram or kilogramme , also known as the kilo, is the base unit of mass in the International System of Units and is defined as being equal to the mass of the International Prototype Kilogram , which is almost exactly equal to the mass of one liter of water...
. It has an elongate, moderately deep and slightly compress
Compress
Compress is a UNIX compression program based on the LZC compression method, which is an LZW implementation using variable size pointers as in LZ78.- Description of program :Files compressed by compress are typically given the extension .Z...
ed body, with the dorsal profile slightly more convex than the ventral profile.
The upper jaw
Jaw
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...
is broad and rounded at its end with a single row of large, widely spaced canines
Canine tooth
In mammalian oral anatomy, the canine teeth, also called cuspids, dogteeth, fangs, or eye teeth, are relatively long, pointed teeth...
in both the upper and lower jaw. 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; the first consisting of 6 or 7 short, often unconnected spines while the second dorsal fin consists of a single spine followed by 26 to 28 sof rays.
The anal fin is similar in appearance to the second dorsal fin, having two detached spines followed by one spine attached to 23 to 25 soft rays. Both the ventral and pectoral fins are short, with the ventral consisting of one spine followed by 5 soft rays and the pectoral having 17 rays. The caudal fin is large and highly forked having 30 rays in total. The body is covered in small ctenoid scales except for part of the chest area which is naked. The species has no 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. The vadigo has 24 vertebrae in total, and has 4 to 6 upper gill raker
Gill raker
Gill rakers in fish are bony or cartilaginous processes that project from the branchial arch and are involved with filter feeding tiny prey. They are not to be confused with the gill filaments that compose the bony part of the gill. Rakers are usually present in two rows, projecting from both the...
s and 9 to 12 lower rakers.
The vadigo has a steel blue to green upper body extending to midway down its side where the darker colour terminates in a series of zig-zagging lobes, with the ventral colour being silver to white. All fins are hyaline
Hyaline
The term hyaline denotes a substance with a glass-like appearance.-Histopathology:In histopathological medical usage, a hyaline substance appears glassy and pink after being stained with haematoxylin and eosin — usually it is an acellular, proteinaceous material...
to grey with the exception of the caudal fin which is often yellowish.
Distribution and habitat
The vadigo inhabits the eastern Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
only, distributed from The British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
in the north to Senegal
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
in the south, with the species also found around distant offshore island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s including Madeira
Madeira
Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago that lies between and , just under 400 km north of Tenerife, Canary Islands, in the north Atlantic Ocean and an outermost region of the European Union...
and the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
. The species is also common in the western Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
, where it has recently been found to extend as far north as the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
. The authors who reported this northern capture believe this shows an expansion of the vadigo's range, comparing it to a number of other carangid species who have recently been found outside of their normal range.
The adults of the species are pelagic or epibenthic, inhabiting mostly shallow waters between 15 and 30 m in depth. It moves to more coastal waters during the summer in the Mediterranean.
Biology and fishery
The vadigo is a predatory fish, which takes smaller species of schooling fish as its primary prey. Little is known of its reproduction and growth, with only a single juvenile described in scientific literatureScientific literature
Scientific literature comprises scientific publications that report original empirical and theoretical work in the natural and social sciences, and within a scientific field is often abbreviated as the literature. Academic publishing is the process of placing the results of one's research into the...
. The eggs of the species are known to be pelagic and occur in a single seasonal peak each year, suggesting the species has a single spawning
Spawn (biology)
Spawn refers to the eggs and sperm released or deposited, usually into water, by aquatic animals. As a verb, spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, also called spawning...
event annually.
The species is of minor importance to commercial fisheries throughout its range, often taken by bottom and pelagic trawls. It is typically sold fresh, frozen or dried and salted and is also used for production of fishmeal and oil
Fish oil
Fish oil is oil derived from the tissues of oily fish. Fish oils contain the omega-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid , and docosahexaenoic acid , precursors of certain eicosanoids that are known to reduce inflammation throughout the body, and are thought to have many health benefits.Fish do not...
. It is considered to be a good table fish.
Vadigo are occasionally caught by recreational fishermen
Angling
Angling is a method of fishing by means of an "angle" . The hook is usually attached to a fishing line and the line is often attached to a fishing rod. Fishing rods are usually fitted with a fishing reel that functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the line. The hook itself...
, and are considered to be a fine sports fish. They may be caught on fish baits or lures, and are most abundant in the Mediterranean between July and September.