Calamus leucosteus

Calamus leucosteus
Whitebone Porgy – Calamus leucosteus
Photo Credit: Unknown Source
FamilyScientific NameAuthorYearCommon Name
SparidaeCalamus leucosteus(Linnaeus)1758Whitebone Porgy

Calamus leucosteus

Unique Characters: May show dark blotches or about five dark bars on sides. Fins dusky. Narrow blue lines above and below eyes. Front teeth in jaws slender, close-set, and canine-like. Anal fin with 10 or 11 soft rays. Posterior nostril elongate to slit-like. Suborbital space deep, its distance much greater than eye diameter. Color mostly silvery bluish, copper, or yellowish. Lateral-line scales 43-49. Pectoral-fin rays usually 15 or 16. No enlarged canine teeth at front of jaws.

Similar Species:

Jolthead Porgy
Calamus bajonado

Littlehead Porgy
Calamus proridens

Calamus bajonado
Jolthead porgy – Calamus bajonado
Calamus proridens
Littlehead Porgy – Calamus proridens

Jolthead Porgy Calamus bajonado. Scale centers silvery to pale with brassy edges. Corner of mouth dark orange. Silvery blue lines above and below eyes. Snout of adults not steep, forming an angle of 43 to 55o with the horizontal from tip of snout to midbase of caudal fin. Front teeth in jaws slender, close-set, and canine-like. Anal fin with 10 or 11 soft rays. Posterior nostril elongate to slit-like. Suborbital space deep, its distance much greater than eye diameter. Color mostly silvery bluish, copper, or yellowish. Lateral-line scales 50-57. Pectoral-fin rays usually 15 (less frequently 14 or 16). 1 or 2 canine teeth on each side at front of upper jaw of adults notably enlarged. No out-curved canine teeth in adults.

Littlehead Porgy Calamus proridens. A broad pale blue horizontal band at top of gill opening. Front teeth in jaws slender, close-set, and canine-like. Anal fin with 10 or 11 soft rays. Posterior nostril elongate to slit-like. Suborbital space deep, its distance much greater than eye diameter. Color mostly silvery bluish, copper, or yellowish. Lateral-line scales 50-57. Pectoral-fin rays usually 14 (less frequently 13 or 15). 1 or 2 canine teeth on each side at front of upper jaw of adults notably enlarged. Third or fourth canine tooth from symphysis on each side of upper jaw enlarged and outcurved in adults. Snout of adults steep, forming an angle of 57-65° with the horizontal from tip of snout to midbase of caudal fin. Anal fin usually with 10 soft rays (rarely 9 or 11). A broad pale blue horizontal band at top of gill opening.

Saucereye Porgy
Calamus calamus

Knobbed Porgy
Calamus nodosus

Calamus calamus
Saucereye Porgy – Calamus calamus
Calamus nodosus
Knobbed Porgy – Calamus nodosus

Saucereye Porgy Calamus calamus. Small blue spot at upper pectoral-fin base. Front teeth in jaws slender, close-set, and canine-like. Anal fin with 10 or 11 soft rays. Posterior nostril elongate to slit-like. Suborbital space deep, its distance much greater than eye diameter. Color mostly silvery bluish, copper, or yellowish. Lateral-line scales 50-57. Pectoral-fin rays usually 14 (less frequently 13 or 15). 1 or 2 canine teeth on each side at front of upper jaw of adults notably enlarged. Third upper canine tooth from symphysis enlarged in adults and strongly outcurved in large adults. Snout of adults steep, forming an angle of 57-65° with the horizontal from tip of snout to midbase of caudal fin. Anal fin usually with 11 soft rays (rarely 10). No blue horizontal band at top of gill opening. Depth of body 2.0-2.25 in standard length.

Knobbed Porgy Calamus nodosus. Snout purplish with many yellowish to bronze spots. Front teeth in jaws slender, close-set, and canine-like. Anal fin with 10 or 11 soft rays. Posterior nostril elongate to slit-like. Suborbital space deep, its distance much greater than eye diameter. Color mostly silvery bluish, copper, or yellowish. Lateral-line scales 50-57. Pectoral-fin rays usually 14 (less frequently 13 or 15). Third or fourth canine tooth from symphysis on each side of upper jaw enlarged and outcurved in adults. Snout of adults steep, forming an angle of 57-65° with the horizontal from tip of snout to midbase of caudal fin. Anal fin usually with 11 soft rays (rarely 10). No blue horizontal band at top of gill opening. Anterior teeth in upper jaw about equal in size. Depth of body 1.8-2.15 in standard length. Prefrontal bony tubercle (above posterior nostril) well developed (especially in large adults).

Grass Porgy
Calamus arctifrons

Calamus arctifrons
Grass Porgy – Calamus arctifrons
Photo Credit: Unknown Source

Grass Porgy Calamus arctifrons. Five to seven dark bars on body that extend onto fins. Caudal fin often with dark V-shaped on base. Not documented from North Carolina.

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