Scientific Name
Alphestes afer

Common Name
Mutton hamlet

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-20; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 9 - 10. Diagnosis: Body depth is slightly less than head length, depth contained 2.4-3.1 (2.9) in standard length; caudal peduncle depth 7.0-9.0 (8.5) times in SL; eye diameter greater than or equal to snout length and 8.1-15.0 (13) times in SL; snout length 10.1-16.0 (16.0) times in SL; preopercle rounded, posterior edge serrate, with a large antrorse spine at the angle directed downward and forward and usually covered with skin. Gill rakers 5-8 (7) on upper limb, 14-17 (16) on lower limb, 19-25 (23) total, including rudiments. Dorsal fin with XI spines and 17 to 20 (18) soft rays, anal fin with III spines and 9, rarely 10 (10) soft rays; pectoral fins with 16 - 18 (17) rays; caudal fin rounded, with 15 branched rays. Scales are smooth. Lateral-line scales 49-66; lateral scale series 68 ? 88 (76). Color in life; head, body, and median fins olivaceous or light brown, irregul

Classification

Classified By

Bloch, 1793

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Sea basses: groupers and fairy basslets (Serranidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Bermuda, south Florida (USA), Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, Cuba, West Indies, Panama, Venezuela, and southward to the state of S?o Paulo, Brazil. Alphestes afer has recently been re-discovered at S?o Tom? in the Gulf of Guinea of the Eastern Atlantic.

Range

32°N - 27°S, 86°W - 32°W

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

2 m

Depth To - meters

30 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 2 - 30 m (Ref. 9710)

Trophic Level

3.48 s.e. 0.59 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

33.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6250 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (33 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Fec=150,000-220,000)

Threat To Humans

Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)