Epinephelus caninus (VALENCIENNES, 1843)

Fig. 6

Serranus caninus VALENCIENNES, 1843: 10 (type locality, Canary Islands; holotype apparently not preserved); STEINDACHNER, 1883: 65, Pl. 2, Fig. 1.

Cerna canina: DODERLEIN. 1882: 193, Pl. 1, Fig. 2.

Epinephelus caninus: BOULENGER, 1895: 205; CADENAT, 1935: 398, Fig. 11, CADENAT, 1951: 193; MAURIN, 1968: 70, Fig. 37; SÉRET, 1981: 158, fig; TORTONESE, 1986: 785; BELLEMANS et al., 1988: 95.

Epinephelus alexandrinus (non VALENCIENNES: Poll, 1954: 56, Fig. 15, Pl. 3, Figs. 3-6.

Diagnosis: Dorsal fin XI, 13 - 14; anal fin 111,8; pectoral fin rays 17 - 18; lateral--line scales 70-79; lateral scale series 120- 135; gill-rakers 8- 10 + 15 - 17 including 4 - 6 rudiments on each limb. Body depth less than head length, contained 2.7-3.0 times in SL; head large, its length 2.3-2.5 times in SL; pectoral fins longer than pelvics, 1.7- 2.2 times in head length; pelvic fins fall well short of anus. Caudal fin truncate or emarginate; dorsal fin with the third or fourth spine longest and the interspinous membranes deeply incised. Interorbital area convex; preopercle angular, with 3-6 large spines at the angle, the lowermost directed ventrally or slightly anteriorly; rear edge of interopercle and lower edge of subopercle serrate; upper edge of operculum distinctly convex; maxilla scaly, reaching to or beyond vertical at rear edge of eye; midlateral part of lower jaw with 2 rows of teeth; a pair of large canine teeth at front of both jaws; rear nostrils 2 or 3 times bigger than front ones. Eye diameter more than interorbital width in fish of 10-28 cm SL and distinctly less than interorbital width in fish more than 45 cm SL. Lateral body scales distinctly ctenoid, with auxiliary scales.

Colour: Uniformly dark reddish brown or greyish violet to yellowish grey; posterior parts of median fins with a distinct white edge. Usually two or three dark bands across the cheek, the uppermost extends from eye to lower opercular spine, the second runs from lower edge of eye across angle of preopercle to juncture of interopercle and subopercle, and the third band (usually the faintest) extends from the dark moustache streak at the upper edge of the maxilla to the lower edge of the preopercle. The dark bands on the head are not discernible ın tısh larger than 45 cm SL. A good colour photograph was published by MANZONI (1987). The illustration in SERET’s (1981) book is also a good likeness.

Maximum size: 157 cm. total length, and at least 35 kg.

GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION

Mediterranean and eastern Atlantic from Portugal to Angola; DOOLEY et al., (1985) reported that it is rare in the Canaries.

REMARKS

E. caninus occurs on sandy mud bottoms in depths of 30 to 400 m.

E. goreensis is similar to E. caninus, but it has 16 dorsal fin rays, a smaller head (2.5 -2.7 times in SL), and the upper edge of the operculum is almost straight. Another similar species, E. haifensis, has a rounded caudal fin, 9 anal fin rays, body depth usually greater (2.4- 2.8 times in SL), pelvic fins subequal to pectorals and reaching to or beyond the anus, no scales on maxilla, and fewer lateral scale series (104-112). E. costae has a more elongate body (depth 3.0-3.4 times in SL), smaller head (2.5 - 2.7 times in SL), 15 - 17 dorsal fin rays, and no scales on the maxilla. E. marginatus differs in having a rounded caudal fin, 14- 16 dorsal fin rays, no scales on maxilla, and 98- 116 lateral scale series.

The specimen from Angola that FRANÇA (1957) described as " Epinephelus sp. - - B2" was examined at the Museu Bocage; It appears to be E. caninus.

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MATERIAL EXAMINED

ITALY: Sicily, RUSI 28245 (156 mm.). ISRAEL: HUJ 10958 (497 mm.). TOGO: MNHN 1987- 1635 (214 mm.). SÉNÉGAL: MNHN 1983-554 (268 mm.). ANGOLA: MB 2336 (780 mm.).