Umbrina ronchus

Author: Valenciennes, 1843

Umbrina ronchus Valenciennes, 1843

Status in World Register of Marine Species:
Accepted name: Umbrina ronchus Valenciennes, 1843 (updated 2009-06-25)

Diagnosis: body rather elongate and moderately deep; mouth small, infenor, teeth villiform; chin with a short rigid barbel, perforated by a pore at its tip. Dl X; D2 I + 25-27. A II + 7. Caudal fin truncate to slightly emarginate. Scales mostly ctenoid. Swimbladder simple, carrotshaped, without appendages. Colour: dark brown, upper sides and back with faint oblique lines along scale rows, tending to fade in larger individuals; pelvic fins and distal portion of anal fin jet black, other fins dusky. Size: to 77 cm SL, common to 40 cm.

Habitat: inshore among rocks and off sandy beaches, from 20 to 200 m depth; juveniles mainly occur in littoral areas, but do not enter estuaries. Food: shrimps, worms and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Reproduction: probably from late spring to early autumn.

Distribution: Atlantic coasts from Gibraltar at least to Angola, includin the Canaries, also western Mediterranean.

Eggs, larvae and young stages. No data.
Otoliths (sagitta). (Rec. as ronchus, but determination doubtful; see confusion in synonymy of U. canariensis) | ? Koken, 1888: 285, pl. XIX (fig. 12) (Corvina ronchus) | Sanz Echeverría, 1926: 155, fig. 32-33; 1931: 373, pl. II (fig. 16) | Chaine, 1938: 65, pl. VII.