Acanthopagrus bifasciatus (Forsskål, 1775)
Twobar seabream
Acanthopagrus bifasciatus
photo by Randall, J.E.

Family:  Sparidae (Porgies)
Max. size:  36.2 cm SL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 19 years
Environment:  reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 2 - 20 m
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: Red Sea (Israel, Egypt, Eritrea, Saudi Arabia), Persian Gulf (Bahrain and Kuwait), off southern Oman (not Gulf of Oman); presumably along the whole southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, also Iran to Pakistan.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-15; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 10-11. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: 2 conspicuous vertical black bars across the head, with the first bar from occiput through eye and across cheek to rear end of maxilla. while the second bar is from nape to opercle; colour of dorsal and caudal fins yellow, without dense black margin of dorsal-fin or narrow black edge along rear margin of caudal fin; scale rows from 5th dorsal fin spine to lateral line 5 ½ or 6 ½ ; base of dorsal and anal fins are scaly; naked interorbital area and preopercle flange; along each side of upper jaw with 2 rows of molars, with the outer molar teeth row extending to rear end of both jaws; basal width of incisor teeth (usually 6) at front of upper jaw smaller, 0.7?0.8 mm for 15 cm SL fish and 2.2?2.5 mm for fish of 34 cm SL, respectively; D XI,12?15, no elongated spines; A III,10?11, with the 2nd and 3rd anal-fin spines subequal and not enlarged (Ref. 95256).
Biology:  Occur in small groups. (Ref. 9710). Marketed fresh or dried.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 03 November 2013 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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