Distinguishing Characteristics |
Body deep, ovate, somewhat compressed, snout blunt; color dark, gray to silvery to almost black; frontal lobes of anal and dorsal fins long, sickle-like (falcate), scaled to nearly tip; rest of fins low, scalloped, with white tips, scaled only at base; pelvic fins very small; pectoral fin long, wing-like; eye large, central on head, notch between eyes; scales large, irregular shaped, with keel (ridge) with spine down the center; tail large, forked, scaled at base, outer edges of rays white; precaudal groove on upper surface of caudal peduncle; keel (ridge) on sides of caudal peduncle; teeth in many rows, some angled inward; preopercle and opercle edges smooth. |
Similar Species |
The pomfret, Taractes rubescens, also has anal and dorsal fins elongate and sickle-like. However, its body is more elongate than the bigscale and its snout is pointed. It also has larger pelvic fins. Pomfrets are similar in shape to the Stromateidae family (butterfishes) which, unlike pomfrets, have small mouths, no pelvic fins and small scales that shed easily. |
Habitat |
Gulf, oceanic |
Maximum Size |
100 cm (3 1/3 ft) |
Fin Element Counts |
D. 33-38; A. 27-30 (explain) |
Other Common Names |
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Previous Scientific Names |
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Comments |
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State size/bag limits |
None; Check for state record. |