| Family: |
Sparidae (Porgies) |
| Max. size: |
60 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
benthopelagic; marine |
| Distribution: |
Indian Ocean: Currently known only from the Seychelles, Mascarene Plateau, and Mascarene Islands (15°23.32'S‒15°41.11' S 61°04.54'E‒61°13.41'E) at a depth of 258‒305 m. However, the species is likely to have a wider distribution in Indian Ocean as the authors conclude that the Dentex sp. collected from Saya de Malha Bank, southeastern area of Seychelles Islands (Kyushin et al. 1977) is conspecific with P. mascarenensis (Ref. 87808). |
| Diagnosis: |
Distinguished from all congeners of Polysteganus by the following combination of characters: dorsal-fin rays XII,10; anal-fin rays III, 8; scales rows between 10th dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line scale 6½; pored lateral line scales 51‒54; snout blunt and broad, its length 2.2‒2.3 times /orbit diameter; bony bulge before and above eye, forming a low median ridge; caudal fin emarginate, nearly truncate if widely spread; mouth large and jaws robust, especially upper jaw; height of posterior end of upper jaw under first two infraorbitals greater than half of orbit diameter (or much greater than pupil diameter); head and body uniform orange-red, dorsally, paler ventrally; all fins uniform reddish orange colour, but membrane of spinous dorsal-fin hyaline reddish orange; rear margin of operculum red; no dark blotch on lateral line below middle dorsal-fin spines, and no blue or cobalt longitudinal lines on body (Ref. 87808). |
| Biology: |
|
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 20 March 2014 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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