Polysteganus praeorbitalis, the Scotsman or Scotsman seabream, is a species of marine fish in the seabream family (Sparidae) of order Perciformes. It is native to Southern Africa.[2][3]
Its body is oblong, robust, and slightly compressed, with one continuous dorsal fin. The caudal fin is slightly forked. It has a distinctive body shape, and is easily recognised. The forehead is steep, and the adult has a prominent hump on the nape. The deep body tapers towards the tail. Its eyes are small.
Adults are mostly reddish pink to pale blue-green, with numerous blue dots on the upper body and pearly scales below the lateral line. Usually, some silvery to blue lines occur around the eyes. Juveniles may be more yellowish and have three brown longitudinal stripes.[4]
The species attains at most 90 cm (35 in) in length, and weighs 11 kg (24 lb).[4] Its typical length is around 35.0 cm.[2]
The dorsal fin has 12 spines, followed by 10 soft rays. The anal fin has eight rays. The pectoral fin is subequal to the head, and the ventral fin has one spine and five rays. The lateral line has 59 to 66 scales. Some 15 or 16 gill rakers occur on the lower limb of the first gill arch. The standard length is 2.5 to 2.8 times the body depth, and 3.0 to 3.2 times the head length.[4][3]
Distribution is from Algoa Bay in the Eastern Cape, South Africa to Beira, Mozambique; it is Southern African endemic. It inhabits offshore reefs between 15 and 120 m in depth.[4] The maximum age recorded is 13 years, at a length of 72 cm, but it is believed to attain greater age based on size records.[1]
It feeds mainly on small reef fishes, but also on crustaceans and benthic cephalopods.[4][1]
The Scotsman matures around 40 cm in about 6 years, and aggregates for breeding and spawns off KwaZulu-Natal in winter, and possibly spring, mostly from Richard's Bay northwards. Normally solitary,[4] Polysteganus praeorbitalis is thought to be a protogynous hermaphrodite, but this is not yet confirmed.[1]
For commercial and recreational line fishery, the catch restricted. Numbers have decreased considerably due to overfishing.[4][3][1]
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: uses authors parameter (link) Polysteganus praeorbitalis, the Scotsman or Scotsman seabream, is a species of marine fish in the seabream family (Sparidae) of order Perciformes. It is native to Southern Africa.
