Polysteganus cerasinus Iwatsuki & Heemstra, 2015
Cherry seabream

Family:  Sparidae (Porgies)
Max. size:  13.4 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range - 127 m
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: Mascarene Plateau, Saya de Malha Bank.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 12-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-8. This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: scale rows above lateral line 6½ and between 5th dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 4½; pored lateral-line scales 49; suborbital depth is clearly less than orbit diameter (OD), 60% OD; without lines of blue spots on body; dorsal-fin rays are reddish pink but yellowish membranes of both pinkish dorsal-fin and caudal-fin fin lobes; absence of blue iridescence on body but bright whitish iridescence on each body scale of lateral side of bright pinkish body; deep body 43% SL; without bony bulge before and above eye; pinkish upper and lower caudal-fin as well as rear pinkish margin of the caudal fin with yellowish hyaline membrane of most of caudal fin with no whitish upper and lower margins; rear margin of membrane of branchiostegal rays is yellow, with yellow hue on some body scales just above upper pectoral-fin base; caudal fin is moderately forked (Ref. 106993).
Biology:  This species is more likely to inhabit the somewhat shallower coastal waters around its area of occurrence than other Polysteganus which have been trawled deeper than 200 m (Ref. 106993).
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 13 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.