BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, 28(3): 501-511, 1978 NOTES ON INDO-PACIFIC CARANGID FISHES OF THE GENUS CARANGOIDES BLEEKER r. THE CARANGO/DES MALABAR/CUS GROUP F. Williams and V. K. Venkataramani ABSTRACT The systematic status of two closely related species of carangid fishes, genus Carallg- oides, is clarified. Detailed species accounts are given for C. malabaricus (Bloch and Schneider) and C. falamparoides Bleeker and include synonymies, diagnoses and descrip- tions, geographic variation, status of type material, material examined, and taxonomic comments. The Caranginae, one of the four sub- the two genera is the dentition. Carangoides families of the family Carangidae currently is characterized by villi form teeth in bands in accepted, represent about 90% of the nom- each jaw, widest anteriorly; the outer teeth inal carangid commercial catch of 2.6 million in one or both jaws may be slightly enlarged metric tons landed throughout the world. in large specimens. In Caranx there is a Much of the Caranginae catch is probably single series of moderate to strong subequal comprised of the schooling species of horse- conical teeth in each jaw, with an inner band mackerels (Trachurus) and scads (Decap- of fine teeth in the upper jaw. From the tertls) . Other species, such as Caranx and dentition (and other characters) it is clear Carangoides, are major elements, because of that the two genera are morphologically their size and number, available to sub- close, as indicated by Bleeker classifying sistence and small-scale fisheries throughout them as subgenera. The use of Carangoides their wide geographic ranges. Despite their remains one of convenience until such time as economic importance, our knowledge of the we have a better understanding of the large taxonomy, biology, and ecology of carangids number of species themselves, especially has remained at a relatively low level com- intraspecific variations in specific characters, pared with many other groups of fishes, with distribution, and ecology. Then a more some notable exceptions. Obviously, an im- comprehensive evaluation of the status of portant basic step in the rational utilization Carangoides and its relationships with Ca- and management of living resources is to ranx sensu stricto, as well as Alepes, Uraspis, know how to identify the species involved. Gnathonodon, Selaroides and Ulua, will be Following most recent workers on ca- possible, and the phylogenetic lines within rangid fishes, Chan (1968), Smith (1965, the Caranginae may be more objectively pro- 1967a and b), Smith and Smith (1963), jected. Suzuki (1968) and Williams (1958, 1961) It should be pointed out that Glistus we recognize all, or most, of Bleeker's sub- Cuvier 1829 is a senior generic synonym of genera of Caranx (Lacepede) as genera (as Carangoides Bleeker 1851. The type species indicated in Weber and de Beaufort, 1931). is Olistus malabaricus Cuvier 1833 by sub- Two of the most speciose of those genera are sequent designation of Jordan 1917 (p. Carangoides and Caranx sensu stricto, spe- 129). To avoid additional confusion, use of cies of the former being currently restricted Carangoides is continued until such time as to the Indo-Pacific Ocean, while species of a review of carangid genera has been com- the latter are found world-wide in tropical pleted. waters. The principal character separating This is the first in a series of papers by the 501 502 BULLETIN OF MARINE SCIENCE, VOL. 28, NO.3, 1978 senior author to clarify the systematic status fork length (FL) as the critical length mea- of several species groups within the genus surement as, (1) FL is more familiar to fish- Carangoides. eries biologists, who have the greatcst need Smith (1967b) discussed at length the to identify carangids, and (2) FL is easier, identity of Carangoides malabaricus (Bloch and faster, and more accurate to determine and Schneider) 1801 and clearly indicated than standard length because of the difficulty that two species had been confused in past in ascertaining the posterior margin of the literature. Smith's revision of nomenclature hypural plate, especially in large fish. resulted in the more commonly cited species The following measurements were made (erroneously described in the past as C. on all specimens during thc study (though malabaricus) being allocated to C. caerule- not necessarily utilized in this paper): opinnatus (Riippell) 1830, and the other TOTAL LENGTH (TL). Length of the species redefined as C. malabaricus Bloch body from the tip of the snout to vertical and Schneider. Two of the essential differ- through tip of the longest caudal fin lobe (in ences between the two species are: (1) ex- the natural position). tension of the naked area of the breast FORK LENGTH (FL). From the tip of anteriorly above the pectoral fin base in C. snout to tip of shortest median caudal fin ray. malabaricus but not in C. caeruleopinnatus, STANDARDLENGTH (SL). From tip of and (2) significantly higher lower limb gill snout to posterior margin of hypural bones raker counts in C. malabaricus (23-26 ver- (caudal base). sus ]5-18). BODY DEPTH (Dl-P~), From origin of During the present study 389 recently ac- the first dorsal spine to dorsal point of in- quired carangid specimens from the Indo- sertion of the pelvic fin. West Pacific Ocean were provisionally iden- BODY DEPTH (D~-A~). From origin of tified as C. malabaricus Bloch and Schneider the second dorsal fin to the origin of the (following Smith, ] 967b). As detailed exami- anal fin. nation of the material progressed, it became PECTORALFIN LENGTH (P ). From dorsal obvious that there were probably two rather 1 point of origin of the spine to the tip of the similar species involved; the second species longest ray. was not C. caeruleopinnatus and is now PELVIC FIN LENGTH (P~). From anterior shown to be C. talamparoides Bleeker, 1852. point of origin of the spine to the tip of the Both species described here have been longest ray. found in individual lots from the same sta- HEIGHT OF DORSAL SPINE. From anterior tion in the Arabian Sea, Ceylon and Gulf point of origin to tip of the longest (usually of Thailand, thus eliminating the possibility third) dorsal-fin spine (if spine other than that the observed variations might be due to hybridization of C. malabaricus with a the third was longest, it was so noted). species such as C. caeruleopinnatus or to HEIGHT OF SECOND DORSAL FIN LOBE. environmentally induced differences through- From origin of second (soft) dorsal fin to out the range of the species. tip of dorsal fin lobe. HEIGHT OF ANAL FIN LOBE. From origin METHODS AND MATERIALS of anal fin to tip of anal fin lobe. DEPTH OF CAUDAL PEDUNCLE. Least Except for total length, all measurements depth of the caudal peduncle. were taken from point to point (straight line) on the left side of the fish (with mouth WIDTH OF CAUDALPEDUNCLE. Width of closed). Dial calipers were used for measure- the caudal peduncle at the point of least ments up to 185 mm with use of a wooden depth. meter stick above this size. We follow LENGTH OF CAUDAL PEDUNCLE. Length Smith-Vaniz and Staiger (1973) in using of the caudal peduncle from the point of WILLIAMS AND VENKATARAMAN1: SYSTEMATICS OF CARANGOIDES 503 origin of last anal-fin ray to posterior margin mediately in front of the first dorsal spine of the hypural bones. and which has often been referred to, and HEAD LENGTH (H). From tip of snout to counted by, various authors as a small pro- posterior margin of the fleshy opercular cumbent spine. membrane. ANAL FIN COUNT includes anal spines, if ORBIT. Horizontal diameter of the bony externally visible. No dissections of dorsal or orbit located (if necessary) by insertion of anal spines were made for purpose of counts dissecting needles. although radiographs were used to confirm INTERORBITAL WIDTH. Least distance meristic characters counted externally. The measured across the top of the head between last dorsal and anal fin soft rays are divided the bony orbits. to the base but have a single pterygiophore, SNOUT LENGTH. Least distance between and thus are counted as single rays. tip of snout and bony orbit. PECTORALFIN COUNT was normally made POSTORBITAL LENGTH. From posterior on the left side, though counts were made on edge of bony orbit to posterior margin of both sides in a small number of specimens to the fleshy opercular membrane. permit estimation of bilateral variation. The UPPER JAW LENGTH. From tip of snout first element at the dorsal margin of the to posterior end of maxilla. pectoral is considered a spine. SUBORBITAL DEPTH. Least distance be- PELVIC FIN COUNT was not made as it is tween bony orbit and dorsal margin of max- invariably I, 5 in carangid fishes. illa. GILL RAKER COUNTS are for lateral gill SNOUT TO Dl' Length from tip of snout to rakers on the first arch, normally on the left origin of first dorsal fin. side. The raker at the junction of the upper SNOUT TO D~. Length from tip of snout to and lower limbs (epibranchial and cerato- origin of second dorsal fin. branchial) is included in the lower limb count SNOUTTO A~. Length from tip of snout to as the major part of the base of the raker is origin of anal fin. over the ceratobranchial. Rudimentary gill SNOUT TO Pl' Length from tip of snout to rakers, with the base width (lateral) of the dorsal point of origin of pectoral fin. raker equal to, or less than, the raker length, SNOUT TO P2. Length from tip of snout to occur at the anterior ends of the upper and anterior point of origin of pelvic fin. lower limbs and these arc included in the BASE D2• Length of the base of the second counts, though differentiated viz.