本種は1属1種で大西洋にしか産しないが,日本近海のイケガツオ類(Scomberoides)に近縁と考えられている(Smith-Vaniz and Staiger, 1973)。アルゼンチン近海の資源量は8,400tと推定され,年間適正漁獲量は1,600tと考えられている(Bellisio, Lópes and Torno, 1979)。
(中村 泉)
Material examined:
10 from Argentina (339.6-391.5 mm SL), FAKU 42948, 42978, 42979, 43442, 43443; AP 318, 327-330.
Description:
D X-Y, 34-37; A T-U, 33-41; P1 17-21; GR 7-8+1+13-14=22-24; BR 8-9 (mostly 9); X 10+17=27.
HL 23.7-24.6% of SL; ED 2.8-3.7; BD 38.5-40.9; SN 5.5-5.8; IO 5.5-5.7; UJ 12.7-13.1; CP 6.0-6.5; P1 14.4-14.7; DH 16.2-18.0; AH 14.3-16.0.
Body deep, extremely compressed, body depth 2.2-2.5 times in SL. Head small, 4.1-4.3 times in SL. Eye small, 7.5-8.5 times in SL. Snout short, about half of postorbital length. Mouth large, oblique, posterior end of upper jaw extending slightly posterior to posterior margin of eye. Posterior part of maxilla flat, wide, round. Bands of villiform teeth in both jaws, tapering to nearly a single series posteriorly. Fine microscopically visible teeth on vomer and palatines. Long and slender gill-rakers with fine inner serrations on first gill-arch. Pseudobranchiae present. Two nostrils closely situated each other, anterior nostril circular with a small flap on posterior margin, posterior nostril crescent with a small flap on anterior margin. Small cycloid scales embedded under skin on body. Head naked. Pectoral fin roughly triangular in shape and short. Pelvic fin absent. Caudal fin large and deeply forked. First dorsal fin composed of several short spines preceded by an anteriorly directed spine usually completely embedded under skin. Second dorsal fin with prominent anterior lobe and long base. Anal fin similar to second dorsal fin in shape and size. Two detached anal spines anterior to soft anal fin. Lateral line curved and undulated, with more or less ten branches anteriorly and fairly straight posteriorly.
Distribution:
Southern Brazil to southern Argentina; a record from Chile (Fowler, 1945) needs verification (Smith-Vaniz and Staiger, 1973). Quite common along the whole coast of Argentina (Berg, 1895; Evermann and Kendall, 1907).
Remarks:
This species is endemic to the western South Atlantic. Parona is monotypic.
(Izumi NAKAMURA)
Distribution of Parona signata in Patagonia.
Villiform teeth on premaxillae, vomer and palatines.