Madagascar meagre facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Madagascar meagre |
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| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Acanthuriformes |
| Family: | Sciaenidae |
| Genus: | Argyrosomus |
| Species: |
A. hololepidotus
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| Binomial name | |
| Argyrosomus hololepidotus (Lacépède, 1801)
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| Synonyms | |
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The Argyrosomus hololepidotus, also known as the Madagascar meagre or southern meagre, is a type of ray-finned fish that lives in the ocean. It belongs to the family called Sciaenidae, which includes fish known as drums and croakers. This fish is special because it is found only in the waters around Madagascar and parts of the Indian Ocean.
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About the Madagascar Meagre
Scientists give every living thing a unique name. This helps them organize and study nature. The Madagascar meagre was first officially described in 1801. A French naturalist named Bernard Germain de Lacépède gave it the name Labrus hololepidotus. He found it near a place called Fort Dauphin in southeastern Madagascar.
For a while, some scientists thought this fish was the same as another species, A. japonicus. But in 1995, new research showed that there were actually two new species, A. coronus and A. inodorus. These new species were found off Southern Africa. This research also confirmed that the Madagascar meagre was its own unique species.
The name hololepidotus was not fully explained by Lacépède. However, it might refer to how the scales on its head and gill cover look similar to the scales on its back. This fish is part of the Sciaenidae family. This family is in the larger group called Acanthuriformes.
What Does It Look Like?
The Madagascar meagre has a long, strong body. Its dorsal fin (the fin on its back) has 11 stiff spines. Ten of these spines are in the front part of the fin, and one is behind a small dip in the fin. It also has between 25 and 29 soft rays in this fin. The anal fin (the fin on its underside near the tail) has 2 spines and 7 soft rays.
The fish's body is about 3.7 to 3.8 times longer than it is deep. The area where its pectoral fin (the fin on its side, like an arm) meets its body is smooth and has no scales. The lateral line, which is a special sensory line along its side, curves gently near its head. Both male and female Madagascar meagres have special muscles that can make a drumming sound!
Its body color is silvery-grey. The top part of its body is darker, often with a bluish tint. Its sides and back might have a bronze shine. Its chest and belly are white. The pelvic fins (fins on its belly) and anal fin are off-white with a grey stripe. The dorsal, pectoral, and caudal fins (tail fin) are brownish-grey. This fish can grow very large. The biggest one ever recorded was 200 cm (79 in) (about 6.5 feet) long. However, a length of 100 cm (39 in) (about 3.3 feet) is more common. The heaviest one found weighed 71 kg (157 lb) (about 156 pounds).
Where Does It Live?
The Madagascar meagre is found only in the waters off eastern Madagascar. It is most common in the southeastern part of the island. While there have been some reports of it on the west coast, these need to be confirmed. Any sightings off the coast of Southern Africa are likely other similar species.
This fish lives in many different places. You can find it in the lower parts of rivers and in estuaries (where rivers meet the sea). It also lives around rocky reefs and off ocean beaches. It can be found on the continental shelf, which is the edge of the land under the sea. It can live in waters as deep as 150 m (490 ft) (about 492 feet).
Daily Life and Diet
The Madagascar meagre usually hunts for food at night. It also hunts in cloudy or murky waters where it's harder to see. Its diet includes many different things. It eats cuttlefish, other smaller fish, crabs, prawns, and polychaetes (a type of marine worm). These fish can live for a very long time, sometimes up to 39 years!
How People Fish for It
People in Madagascar fish for the meagre. Local fishermen, often using traditional dugout canoes, catch them with handlines. They usually fish in waters between 20 and 40 m (66 and 131 ft) (about 65 to 130 feet) deep. They also use nets to catch them in estuaries. This fish is an important catch for these local fishing communities.
 | Isaac Myers |
 | D. Hamilton Jackson |
 | A. Philip Randolph |
