Mem. Fac. Fish. Kagoshima Univ.,Vol. 65, pp. 27 ~ 31 (2016)

First Specimen-based Record of Taractes rubescens(Perciformes: Bramidae) from the Philippines
Harutaka Hata1*, Ulysses B. Alama2, Ramon S. Cruz2, Ricardo P. Babaran2,
Hiroyuki Motomura3
Key words: pomfret, distribution, fish fauna, taxonomy, morphology

Abstract

A single specimen of Taractes rubescens (Jordan and Evermann, 1887) (Perciformes: Bramidae), previously recordedin the western Pacific only from Japan, Taiwan and Australia, and recently collected from Panay Island, the Philippines,
represents the first record from the Philippines. A description of the specimen is provided.

Results and Discussion

Introduction
The pomfret genus Taractes Lowe, 1843 is characterized

Taractes rubescens (Jordan and Evermann, 1887)
Fig. 1; Table 1

by a pointed snout, projecting lower jaw, broad flat interorbital
area, and scaled dorsal and anal fins

1–2)

. The genus contains

1)

two valid species viz., T. asper Lowe, 1843 and T. rubescens

Material examined. KAUM–I. 80702, 389.8 mm SL,(Jordan and Evermann, 1887). Taractes rubescens has

439.9 mm fork length, off Miagao, Province of Iloilo, Panay

previously been recorded from Japan, Taiwan and Australia

Island, Philippines (purchased at fish market in Miagao), 10

1–4)

in the western Pacific. A single specimen recently collected

Nov. 2015.

from Panay Island, located in the western part of Visayan

Description. Body oblong, rather compressed, deepest at

Islands, represents the first specimen-based record of theorigin of dorsal fin. Dorsal profile of body elevated from snout

species from the Philippines and is described herein.

tip to dorsal-fin origin, decreased moderately from latter tocaudal-fin base. Ventral profile of body convex from lower-

Materials and Methods

jaw tip to origin of anal fin, elevated from latter to caudal-

Counts and proportional measurements, expressed as

fin base. Pelvic-fin origin anterior to posteriormost point ofpercentages of standard length (SL) and shown in Table 1,

opercle. End of pelvic-fin base slightly posterior to pectoral-

5)followed Moteki et al. . All measurements were made with

fin insertion. Posterior tip of pelvic fin reaching to between

digital calipers to the nearest 0.1 mm. Curatorial procedures

vertical lines drawn through origins of eighth and ninth dorsal-

for newly collected specimens followed Motomura andfin rays when depressed. Upper point of pectoral-fin insertion

6)

Ishikawa . Institutional codes are as follows: the Kagoshima

just above origin of 3rd pelvic-fin ray. Lowermost point of

University Museum, Kagoshima (KAUM), Museum ofpectoral-fin insertion slightly anterior to origin of dorsal fin.

Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge (MCZ),

Posterior tip of pectoral fin pointed, reaching to a verticalMuseum of Natural Sciences, University of the Philippines

line through origin of 23rd dorsal-fin ray. Origin of dorsal fin

Visayas (UPVMI), and Museum Support Center of theslightly posterior to lowermost point of pectoral-fin insertion.

National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution,

End of dorsal-fin base just above origin of last anal-fin ray.

Suitland, MD (USNM).

Anal-fin origin located just below origin of 20th dorsal-fin
ray. Anterior parts of dorsal and anal fins falcate. Dorsal and

1

The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan
College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of the Philippines Visayas, 5023 Miagao, Iloilo, Philippines
3
The Kagoshima University Museum, 1-21-30 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065, Japan*
Corresponding author, E-mail: k2795502@kadai.jp
2

28

Mem Fac. Fish. Kagoshima Univ., 65 (2016)

Fig. 1. Fresh specimen of Taractes rubescens (KAUM–I. 80702, 389.8 mm SL, off Miagao, Panay Island, Visayan Islands, Philippines).

anal fins not recessible. Caudal fin forked. Snout pointed.

Distribution. Taractes rubescens is widely distributed

Lower jaw greatly projected. Mouth terminal, large, posterior

in tropical to temperate waters in the Pacific and Atlantic

tip of maxilla beyond midpoint of eye. Eye and iris elliptical.

oceans1, 4, 7–12). Recently, the species has been reported from theInterorbital space flat, broad, about equal to maximum eye

northeastern Indian Ocean13), Gulf of Aden14) and Oman Sea15).

diameter. Vent round, situated just anterior to anal-fin origin,

Remarks. The specimen was identified as T. rubescens onjust below origin of 14th dorsal-fin ray. Teeth near anterior

the basis of the following combination of characters, whichpart of both jaws small, conical, in three rows; posteriorly in aclosely matched the diagnostic features of T. rubescens given

single row. Palatines with single row of conical teeth. Vomer

by Mead1), Last and Moteki2) and Hatooka and Kai4) (characterswithout teeth. Tongue edentate. Posterior edges of preopercle

for T. asper, the only other valid species in the genus, given

and opercle smooth. Lower edge of preopercle serrated. Body

in parentheses): scales on caudal peduncle greatly enlarged,

covered with ctenoid scales. Dorsal, anal and caudal fins,forming a sharp keel (vs not enlarged, not forming a keel);maxilla and insertion of pectoral fin scaled. Posterior part ofpectoral-fin length 39.4% of SL (less than 36% SL); and anal-

preopercle, lower jaw and snout scaleless. Pectoral and pelvic-

fin rays 21 (23 to 26).

fin axillary scales present. Anterior margin of predorsal scales

Meristic and morphometric data for the present specimen

reaching to midpoint of eye. Scales on caudal peduncle greatly

generally agreed with those given by Mead 1) (Table 1).

enlarged, forming sharp keel.

Analysis of 33 measurements in T. rubescens showed that the

Color when fresh (Fig. 1): Body black. Scales on dorsal,

proportions relative to SL of fork length, body depth, headanal and caudal fins grayish-silver. Upper part of pectoral fin

width, horizontal eye diameter and greatest eye diameter all

dusky black, lower part translucent. Posterior edges of dorsal

decreased with growth (Table 1).

and anal fins pale, caudal fin white. Anterior part of pelvic fin

Taractes rubescens was originally described by Jordan anddusky black, posterior part whitish-gray. Iris gold, eye bluish-

Evermann16) as Steinegeria rubescens, based on a specimen

black.

taken from the stomach of a grouper caught in off Pensacola,

29

Taractes rubescens from the Philippines

Table 1. Counts and measurements of Taractes rubescens, expressed as percentages of SL.
This study

Mead 1)

Non-type specimen

Holotype

Panay Island, Philippines

Gulf of Mexico

KAUM–I. 80702

USNM 37991

389.8

96.0

51.3

620.0

690.0

Dorsal-fin rays

31

30

32

32

32

Anal-fin rays

21

21

22

23

23

Pectoral-fin rays

19

20

21

20

21

Gill rakers on upper limb

2

3

2

3

1

Gill rakers on lower limb

9

10

8

7

8

Total gill rakers

11

13

10

10

9

Scales in horizontal series

49

damaged50

46

Predorsal scales

25

damagedScales above lateral line

13

damagedScales below lateral line

16

damagedStandard length (SL；mm)

Non-type specimens
Gulf of Mexico

Western Pacific

MCZ specimens

CountsMeasurement (% SL)
Fork length

112.9

damaged

131.5

110.0

109.5

Body depth

39.8

51.4

54.6

39.5

38.4

Body width

15.8

17.9

24.4

16.9

16.7

Head width

17.5

17.8

24.4

16.9

16.7

Pre-dorsal-fin length

41.0

42.8

50.1

41.6

38.8

Pre-anal-fin length

62.9

66.9

68.0

61.3

63.0

Pre-pelvic-fin length

35.1

37.8

43.3

35.2

39.1

Pre-pectoral-fin length

33.2

36.7

40.6

31.4

34.1

Dorsal-fin base length

48.1

45.5

44.6

47.3

47.8

Anal-fin base length

30.2

26.3

27.7

26.8

28.3

Dorsal-fin origin to pectoral-fin insertion

27.9

27.9

39.0

29.0

28.0

Pectoral-fin base length

7.2

10.1

13.1

7.6

7.2

Pectoral-fin insertion to anal-fin origin

31.7

47.8

Pectoral-fin length

39.4

damaged

40.0

38.2

39.7

Pelvic-fin length

30.9

damaged

35.1

9.7

11.2

Fifth dorsal-fin ray length

16.3

damagedFifth anal-fin ray length

3.2

4.5

damageddamaged

28.9

Fifth from last dorsal-fin ray length

7.1

damaged

25.3

Fifth from last anal-fin ray length

damageddamaged

16.6

Upper caudal-fin lobe length

33.7

damaged3.9
31.2

Lower caudal-fin lobe length30.2

damagedCentral caudal-fin ray length

13.0

damaged26.1

Caudal peduncle length

17.2

damagedCaudal peduncle depth

6.3

damaged

8.0

6.1

7.0

Head length33.1

damaged

42.9

30.2

30.8

31.6

10.0

9.4

Snout length

10.0

damaged

10.7

9.7

9.3

Horizontal eye diameter

7.1

12.3

15.2

6.8

5.5

Greatest eye diameter

9.0

12.3

15.6

7.3

6.5

Least distance between orbit and dorsal midline

5.5

damaged

5.7

6.9

6.2

18.3

15.5

17.7

15.3

16.4

Interorbital width

9.2

damaged

12.9

10.5

10.1

Upper-jaw length

16.7

damaged

23.4

14.8

14.5

9.7

9.2

10.5

9.2

9.6

Greatest distance between orbit and free edge ofsubopercle

Lowermost point of pectoral-fin insertion to pelvicfin origin

30

Mem Fac. Fish. Kagoshima Univ., 65 (2016)

Florida, Gulf of Mexico 1). Subsequently, the species has

in Japan” project of the National Museum of Nature and1, 4, 17–24),

Science, Tsukuba, Japan, and “Establishment of Research and

3, 4)

,

Education Network on Biodiversity and Its Conservation in thethe present specimen representing the first record from theSatsunan Islands” project of Kagoshima University adopted

Philippines.

by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science andbeen reported in the western Pacific only from Japan
Taiwan4, 25–27)

and off the northeastern coast of Australia

Comparative material examined. Taractes rubescens:Technology, Japan.

USNM 37991, holotype of Steinegeria rubescens, 96.0 mm

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