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Promethichthys prometheus

Mangā

Roudi escolar

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General Information

COMMON NAMES: Roudi escolar, Promethean Escolar, Single-line Gemfish, Oneline Snake-Mackerel, Conejo, Bermuda Catfish; French Escolier Clair

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Mangā (RR MG AT MK MT AK TS TW), Manga (PL), Kapoa (MH RK PK); Other Polynesian - Mana (TAH)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE circumtropical & subtropics

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; A deep-water predator PLUS: ; Marine, near-shore deepbottom and seamounts 100-750m

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Prized food during summer months

KEY FEATURES: A moderately elongate fish (1:7 D:L) typically to 60cm SL (max. 100cm). Without scales. Dark blue-grey above, pale grey sides, brown fins. First Dorsal with ±18 spines, 2nd Dorsal and Anal small and opposite, 1 finlet. A single lateral line.

Enlarged Image of 'Promethichthys prometheus'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
P	P	^P	^P		P	P

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
	P		P

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Promethichthys prometheus (Cuvier, 1832)
SYNONYMS: Gempylus prometheus [O]; Thyrsites prometheus

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Perciformes; Scombroidei; GEMPYLIDAE

More Information

GENERAL NOTE: Mangā is well-known throughout the Cook Islands. It was an important traditional food. The flesh is oily, and it can have a strong laxative effect for some people. The fish lives on the deep outer reef-slope at around 110 fathoms (200 metres). The season was September thru the summer to about February - now commonly caught during the winter months.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Cooks: Nakamura & Parin 1993, Snake Mackerels... FAO Fish Synop. 15 (125). Rarotonga: commonly in market Avatiu, ID GMc. Atiu: field-specimen, College collection, 10/2000, ID GMcC. Mauke: fieldspecimen, College, ID GMcC. Aitutaki: 4 specimens Junior Maoate 9/97 61cm SL, ID GMc. Palmerston: Listed (Preston95). Manihiki: A685-1specimen as Ruvettus prometheus (B&M74). Pukapuka: informant reports at NBSAP meeting, 2/2004.

References:
Special Reference: Nakamura & Parin 1993, Snake Mackerels... FAO Fish Synop. 15 (125).

p.601 Burgess et al. (1988) Atlas of Marine Aquarium Fishes (TFH)
Species No. 352 Munro (1967) Fishes of New Guinea

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
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