Argyrosomus hololepidotus (Lacepède, 1801)
Southern meagre
photo by Hashemi, S.

Family:  Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers)
Max. size:  200 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 71 kg; max. reported age: 30 years
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range - 400 m
Distribution:  Indian Ocean: endemic to Madagascar (Ref. 11025). Reports from "Ghana to South Africa" (Ref. 57396) refer to Argyrosomus regius and Argyrosomus coronus (Ref. 11025).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26-30; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 7-7. Body silvery; fins grey or brown; upper end of pectoral base with a black blotch (Ref. 4373).
Biology:  Found in lower reaches of rivers, estuaries, rocky reefs, ocean beaches and on the continental shelf down to 150 m (Ref. 9772). Caught near the bottom and in mid-water. Feed mainly at night or in turbid waters (Ref. 27121), preying on cuttlefish (Ref. 27121), fishes, crabs, prawns, and worms (Ref. 9772).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 30 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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