Scientific Name
Kyphosus saltatrix

Common Name
Bermuda sea chub

Biology
Inhabits shallow waters, over turtle grass, sand or rocky bottom and around coral reefs (Ref. 3725). Young commonly found among floating Sargassum seaweeds (Ref. 3725). Feeds on plants, mainly on benthic algae, as well as on small crabs and mollusks (Ref. 6547, 44187). 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 (Ref. 48727). Marketed fresh

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Sea chubs (Kyphosidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Atlantic

Distribution

Western Atlantic: Canada (Ref. 5951) to Massachusetts, USA and Bermuda southward to Brazil (Ref. 7251), including Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea (Ref. 9626). Eastern Atlantic: south of Morocco to Gulf of Guinea (Ref. 7373); St. Paul's Rocks (Ref. 13121), Ascension and St. Helena. Rarely found in the Mediterranean and off Madeira.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

30 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 30 m (Ref. 9626), usually 1 - 10 m (Ref. 40849)

Trophic Level

2 s.e. 0.00 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

76.0 cm

Common Length

50.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5002 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: public aquariums

Vulnerability

High vulnerability (61 of 100)

Resilience

Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated