Bermuda sea chub (Kyphosus saltatrix)

Scientific name: Kyphosus saltatrix Linnaeus, 1758

The Bermuda sea chub (Kyphosus saltatrix) is a marine fish of the family Kyphosidae.

Biology

Inhabits shallow waters, over turtle grass, sand or rocky bottom and around coral reefs. Young commonly found among floating Sargassum seaweeds. Feeds on plants, mainly on benthic algae, as well as on small crabs and mollusks. Also feeds on spinner dolphins’ feces and vomits at Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, southeast Atlantic. The offal feeding may be regarded as a simple behavioral shift from plankton feeding to drifting offal picking. Marketed fresh

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Kyphosus saltatrix
Family
Kyphosidae (Sea chubs)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
76.0
Common length
50.0
Depth range
1–30 m (3–98 ft)
Environment
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 30 m, usually 1 - 10 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Canada to Massachusetts, USA and Bermuda southward to Brazil, including Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. Eastern Atlantic: south of Morocco to Gulf of Guinea; St. Paul's Rocks, Ascension and St. Helena. Rarely found in the Mediterranean and off Madeira.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums
Resilience
Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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