Guachanche barracuda

Guachanche barracuda
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Carangiformes
Family:	Sphyraenidae
Genus:	Sphyraena
Species:	S. guachancho
Binomial name
Sphyraena guachancho Cuvier, 1829
Synonyms
Sphyraena dubia (Bleeker, 1863) Sphyraena guentheri (Haly, 1875)

The Guachanche barracuda (Sphyraena guachancho) is an ocean-going species of game fish in the barracuda family, Sphyraenidae. It was described by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier in 1829. The description was part of the second edition of Le Règne Animal, or The Animal Kingdom. Guachanche barracuda are also known simply as guaguanche throughout much of the Caribbean. When used for food, Guaguanche barracuda are usually sold fresh or salted.^[2]

Description

Guachanche barracuda, like other members of the family Sphyraenidae, possess elongated bodies, pike-like heads, and large jaws.^[3] The lower jaw protrudes slightly from the upper jaw, both of which contain fang-like teeth.^[3] They have two dorsal fins, which are widely separated on their backs. The anterior dorsal fin usually possesses spines, while the posterior only has rays.^[3] Guachanche barracuda have six dorsal spines and 9 rays on their dorsal fins, while they have only two spines and eight rays on their anal fins.^[2]

Guachanche barracuda can grow up to 200 cm in length,^[4] but have only been recorded to weigh as much as 1.75 kg.^[5]

Distribution and habitat

In the western Atlantic Ocean, Guachanche barracuda are known from Massachusetts to Brazil.^[2] They are also found in the northern Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean.^[2] In the eastern Atlantic, although Guachanche barracuda are known from Senegal to Angola (including Cape Verde), they can also be found off the Canary Islands, which lie much further north.^[2]

Guachanche barracuda can live in turbid, coastal waters at depths up to 100 m.^[6] They generally occur near muddy bottoms and are often found in estuaries.^[2] A schooling species,^[7] Guachanche barracuda feed on several fishes from the Engraulidae, Clupeidae, Lutjanidae and Synodontidae families.^[8] They have also been known to feed on squid of the Loliginidae family.^[8]

References

1. Dooley, J.; Collette, B.B.; Aiken, K.A.; et al. (2015). "Sphyraena guachancho". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2015: e.T190362A15603080. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T190362A15603080.en. Retrieved 11 November 2022.
2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Sphyraena guachancho". FishBase. July 2009 version.
3. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Family Sphyraenidae". FishBase. January 2006 version.
4. Reiner, F. 1996 Catálogo dos peixes do Arquipélago de Cabo Verde. Publicações avulsas do IPIMAR No. 2. 339 p.
5. Daget, J. 1986 Sphyraenidae. p. 350-351. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 2.
6. Sanches, J.G. 1991 Catálogo dos principais peixes marinhos da República de Guiné-Bissau. Publicações avulsas do I.N.I.P. No. 16. 429 p.
7. De Sylva, D.P. 1990 Sphyraenidae. p. 860-864. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2.
8. Cervigón, F. 1993 Los peces marinos de Venezuela. Volume 2. Fundación Científica Los Roques, Caracas,Venezuela. 497 p.

External links

• Guachanche barracuda at Fishbase
• at ITIS
• at ZipcodeZoo
• at Catalogue of Life