Taractes


Taractes is a genus of marine ray-finned fishes from the family Bramidae, the pomfrets. Taractes can be distinguished from other bramid genera but having a flat, or slightly curved profile, between the eyes and by having scales on both the dorsal and anal fins.

Species

There are currently two recognized species in this genus:Taractes asper R. T. Lowe, 1843 Taractes rubescens
These two species are easily distinguished from one another as adults. Adult T. rubescens develop a dense, bony keel on the caudal peduncle that is thought to be composed of enlarged, fused scales, which are absent in T. asper. Additionally, adult T. rubescens lack a noticeable lateral line, which is typically present in adult T. asper.

Distribution

The genus is widely distributed across both Atlantic and Pacific oceans. T. asper has been documented to possess range from the Norwegian Sea to the Sea of Japan and Cape of Good Hope in Southern Africa. T. rubescens has been documented in the Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern and Central Pacific Ocean. Despite being found across all seas, they remain difficult to collect and are quite uncommon.