ANIMALIA / CHORDATA / ACTINOPTERYGII / PERCIFORMES / SCIAENIDAE / ATRACTOSCION / AEQUIDENS

Atractoscion aequidens (Cuvier, 1830)
indigenous NE
ZODATSA
Morphological description

Geelback have a distinct concave tail, with upper and lower rays longer than middle rays. The mouth is large and the lower jaw projects. The body is silvery with a coppery sheen dorsally and white below. The pectoral fin auxillary flap s black and the inside of the mouth and gill cavity are yellow (Heemstra and Heemstra 2004).

Global distribution

Gulf of Guinea to Angola, False Bay to southern Mozambique, NW Africa and SE Australia (Fischer and Bianchi 1984, Heemstra and Heemstra 2004).

SA distribution

Cape Point to southern Mozambique separated from stock off Angola by cool waters off the west coast of SA and southern Namibia (Griffiths and Hecht 1995b).

Movement

Geelbek are migratory species that undertake a seasonal migration from the Western Cape to KZN where they spawn in spring (Garratt 1988, Griffiths and Hecht 1995b).

Trophic strategy

Adults are piscivores that mainly eat sardines, mackerel and massbanker and juveniles prefer smaller prey such as mysids and later anchovies (Griffiths 1988).

Reproduction

Geelbek are gonochorists (Griffiths and Hecht 1995b) that spawn from august to November with a peak from September to October (Garratt 1988, Griffiths and Hecht 1995b, Connell 2012). Spawning takes place in KZN waters mainly over offshore reefs in depths of 40-60m (Griffiths and Hecht 1995b, Connell 2012). Age at 50% maturity for combined sexes in SA is 5 years (Griffiths and Hecht 1995b) and length at 50% maturity is 900mm FL; SA (Griffiths and Hecht 1995b).

Biome

Inshore, Offshore (>30m)

Occurrence records map

This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations

iNaturalist: Data partners records: DNA:

Residence status

Occurrence in African countries and South African provinces. Residence status indicates if a taxon is indigenous, endemic, or alien in a specific region. This data is based on specimen records and literature.

FSA

SA

BOT

NAM

ESW

LES

WC

EC

NC

FS

GA

KZN

LP

MP

NW

Absent

Indigenous

Endemic

Naturalised

Invasive

Peter Swart
ZODATSA

Names and Sources

Common Name Language
Cape Cob En
Geelbeck Croaker En
Geelbek Af
Cape Salmon
Silver Jewfish
Corvina
Teraglin
ZODATSA

Classification

KINGDOM Animalia

PHYLUM Chordata

CLASS Actinopterygii

ORDER Perciformes

FAMILY Sciaenidae

GENUS Atractoscion

SPECIES aequidens

No results found for Atractoscion aequidens (Cuvier, 1830)

Uses

Important catch of the boat-based commercial and recreational linefishery. Catches per area are seasonal as adult fish undertake an annual spawning migration to KZN (Sauer et al. 1997, Donovan 2010). Also taken as bycatch by the inshore demersal trawl fishery (Attwood et al. 2011).

2 results for Atractoscion aequidens (Cuvier, 1830)

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Observation records

Date: 1/11/2022 2:27:00 PM

Western Cape, South Africa

Data Resource: iNaturalist View record

Date: 10/25/2024 6:22:17 AM

Eastern Cape

Data Resource: iNaturalist View record

Animal occurrence records per dataset

Animal occurrence records per year

Occurrence records map

This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations

iNaturalist: Data partners records: DNA:
ZODATSA

2011

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Bycatch in South Africa's inshore trawl fishery as determined from observer records

Attwood, Colin, Petersen, Samantha, Kerwath, Sven. 2011. Bycatch in South Africa's inshore trawl fishery as determined from observer records Vol. 68 pp.2163–2174.

2012

REPORT

Marine fish eggs and larvae off the east coast of South Africa

Connell, A.D.. 2012. Marine fish eggs and larvae off the east coast of South Africa.

2010

BOOK

A retrospective assessment of the Port Alfred linefishery with respect to the changes in the South African fisheries management environment

Donovan, Bruce. 2010. A retrospective assessment of the Port Alfred linefishery with respect to the changes in the South African fisheries management environment.

2015

REPORT

Atractoscion aequidens

Fennessy, S., Larson, H.. 2015. Atractoscion aequidens.

1984

BOOK

FAO Species Identification Sheets for Fishery Purposes: Western Indian Ocean (fishing Area 51)

Fischer, W, Bianchi, Gabriella. 1984. FAO Species Identification Sheets for Fishery Purposes: Western Indian Ocean (fishing Area 51). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.

1988

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Notes on seasonal abundance and spawning of some important offshore linefish in Natal and Transkei waters, southern Africa

Garratt, PA. 1988. Notes on seasonal abundance and spawning of some important offshore linefish in Natal and Transkei waters, southern Africa Vol. 7 pp.1–8.

1995

JOURNAL ARTICLE

On the life-history of Atractoscion aequidens, a migratory sciaenid off the east coast of southern Africa

Griffiths, MH, Hecht, T. 1995. On the life-history of Atractoscion aequidens, a migratory sciaenid off the east coast of southern Africa Vol. 47 pp.962–985.

2004

BOOK

Coastal fishes of Southern Africa

Heemstra, P, Heemstra, E. 2004. Coastal fishes of Southern Africa. Grahamstown. NISC pp.488.

2013

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Southern African Marine Linefish Species Profiles

Mann, B.Q. 2013. Southern African Marine Linefish Species Profiles pp.343.

1997

JOURNAL ARTICLE

An evaluation of attitudes and responses to monitoring and management measures for the South African boat-based linefishery

Sauer, WHH, Lamberth, SJ, Mann, BQ, Brouwer, SL, Erasmus, C, Penney, AJ, Stewart, TJ. 1997. An evaluation of attitudes and responses to monitoring and management measures for the South African boat-based linefishery Vol. 18 pp.147–163.

Status

Status and criteria

NE

Assessor(s)

Sean Fennessy

Reviewer(s)

Animalia Coordinator