Threadfin porgy facts for kids
The threadfin porgy or cardinal seabream (Evynnis cardinalis) is a type of fish that lives in the ocean. It belongs to the Sparidae family, which includes many seabreams and porgies. You can find this fish in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, near countries in Eastern Asia. People often catch this fish for food. However, it is currently listed as an Endangered animal by the IUCN. This means its population is shrinking and it needs protection.
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Naming the Threadfin Porgy
Scientists give every living thing a special name. This helps them organize and study different species. The threadfin porgy's scientific name is Evynnis cardinalis.
Who Named It?
A French scientist named Bernard Germain de Lacépède first described this fish in 1802. He called it Sparus cardinalis back then. Later, in 1912, two American fish experts, David Starr Jordan and William Francis Thompson, created a new group just for this fish. They named this group Evynnis.
Why cardinalis?
The second part of its scientific name, cardinalis, means "red." This name was chosen because the fish often has a pale red or pinkish color.
What Does It Look Like?
The threadfin porgy has a strong body that is quite flat from side to side. Its body is deeper than its head. The top of its head usually slopes and might even have a small bump near its eyes.
Fins and Scales
This fish has a dorsal fin on its back with 12 stiff spines. The third and fourth spines are extra long and thin, like threads. It also has 11 or 12 soft rays in this fin. Its anal fin on its belly has 3 spines and 9 soft rays. The tail fin is forked, like a "V" shape.
You can count about 6.5 rows of scales between its side line and the fourth spine of its dorsal fin. It does not have teeth on the roof of its mouth.
Colors
When alive, the threadfin porgy is mostly red with shiny silver parts. It also has irregular blue spots along its sides.
Size
This fish can grow up to 40 centimeters (about 16 inches) long. However, it is more common to see them around 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) long.
Where Does It Live?
The threadfin porgy lives in the northwest part of the Pacific Ocean. It has been found near countries like China, Japan, Korea, Viet Nam, and Indonesia.
Its Home in the Ocean
It usually lives in waters between 30 and 60 meters (about 100 to 200 feet) deep. Sometimes, it can be found as deep as 100 meters (about 330 feet). It likes to live over different types of seabeds, but it is most often found near reefs and rocky areas.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Scientists have studied the threadfin porgy in a place called the Beibu Gulf. They learned a lot about how these fish grow and reproduce.
When They Reproduce
Threadfin porgies start to get ready for reproduction in November. They usually lay their eggs (spawn) between December and February. During this time, many fish gather in the northern part of the Beibu Gulf, near Hainan, to reproduce.
Growing Up
By April, the fish that have reproduced are mostly found in the northeastern part of the gulf. The young fish, called juveniles, move into shallow waters closer to the shore in the same area.
By May, these young fish are about 5 centimeters (2 inches) long. In July, they start to move southwest. By October, most of the young fish have moved into deeper waters.
Fishing and Protecting the Species
The threadfin porgy is an important fish for people to catch and eat. In Taiwan, young threadfin porgies caught in the wild are sometimes raised in special farms called mariculture facilities.
Why It's Endangered
Sadly, the threadfin porgy is in danger because of overfishing. This means too many fish are being caught, and the population cannot recover fast enough. In some areas, like the Beibu Gulf, the number of these fish has dropped a lot. It seems the population there has almost disappeared.
Vulnerable Fish
This fish has certain traits that make it easy to overfish. For example, it lives a long time, but it also takes a while to become old enough to reproduce. Scientists believe that over the last 39 years, the population of threadfin porgies has shrunk by at least 50%. Because of these serious declines, the IUCN has listed the threadfin porgy as an Endangered species.
