# Boops

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Genus of ray-finned fishes

For the song, see [Boops (Here to Go)](/source/Boops_(Here_to_Go)).

Boops Temporal range: Middle Miocene–present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Boops boops Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Acanthuriformes Family: Sparidae Genus: Boops Cuvier, 1814 Type species Sparus boops Linnaeus, 1758 Species see text Synonyms[1][2] Box Valenciennes in Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1830 Exocallus de la Pylaie, 1835

***Boops*** [/ˈboʊ.ɒps/](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Help:IPA/English) is a [genus](/source/Genus) of marine [ray-finned fishes](/source/Ray-finned_fish) belonging to the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Sparidae](/source/Sparidae), the seabreams and porgies. There are two species in this genus, one in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean, and the other in the Western Indian Ocean.

## Taxonomy

*Boops* was first proposed as a genus in 1814 by the French [zoologist](/source/Zoologist) [Georges Cuvier](/source/Georges_Cuvier) with *Sparus boops* being its [type species](/source/Type_species) by "absolute [tautonymy](/source/Tautonymy)".[3] This taxon is placed in the family Sparidae within the [order](/source/Order_(biology)) [Spariformes](/source/Spariformes) by the 5th edition of *[Fishes of the World](/source/Fishes_of_the_World)*.[4] Some authorities classify this genus in the subfamily Boopsinae,[1] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sparidae.[4]

## Etymology

*Boops* derives from the [Ancient Greek](/source/Ancient_Greek) βό (*bo*) meaning 'ox' and ὤψ (*ops*) meaning 'eye', referring to its large eyes.[5]

## Species

*Boops* contains 2 species:[6]

- *[Boops boops](/source/Boops_boops)* (Linnaeus, 1758) (Bogue)

- *[Boops lineatus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boops_lineatus&action=edit&redlink=1)* ([Boulenger](/source/George_Albert_Boulenger), 1892) (Striped boga)

The fossil species †*[Boops roulei](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Boops_roulei&action=edit&redlink=1)* [Arambourg](/source/Camille_Arambourg), 1927 (=†*Boops gortanii* D'Erasmo, 1930) is known from the [Late Miocene](/source/Late_Miocene) of Italy and [Algeria](/source/Algeria). This species was likely driven to extinction by ecological shifts from the [Messinian salinity crisis](/source/Messinian_salinity_crisis).[7] In addition, an indeterminate fossil *Boops* potentially allied with *B. roulei* is known from [Middle Miocene](/source/Middle_Miocene)-aged [Paratethyan](/source/Paratethys) sediments from [Austria](/source/Austria).[8]

## Characteristics

*Boops* is characterised by having a torpedo-shaped, elongated body with large eyes, the diameter of the eyes being longer than the snout. The [pectoral fins](/source/Pectoral_fin) are short, being three-quarters the length of the head and the [caudal fin](/source/Caudal_fin) has a deep fork. There is a single row of teeth in the jaws, these are incisor-like. There are dark stripes along the otherwise silvery body.[9] The largest of the 2 species is the bogue, which has a maximum published [total length](/source/Total_length) of 40 cm (16 in) while the striped boga has a maximum published total length of 25 cm (9.8 in).[6]

## Distribution and habitat

*Boops* species are [parapatric](/source/Parapatric_speciation). The bogue is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Norway south to Angola and in the [Mediterranean](/source/Mediterranean_Sea) and [Black Seas](/source/Black_Sea).[10] The silvery boga is found in the western Indian Ocean along the southern coast of the [Arabian Peninsula](/source/Arabian_Peninsula) from central Yemen to the [Gulf of Oman](/source/Gulf_of_Oman).[11] They are gregarious fishes that form [schools](/source/Shoaling_and_schooling) in shallow coastal waters.[10]

## Fisheries

*Boops* are fished for, although the smaller silvery boga is probably only taken by subsistence fishers. The bogue is pursued commercially and used as a food fish, bait in tuna fisheries and to make [fish meal](/source/Fish_meal).[12]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Parenti_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Parenti_1-1) Parenti, Paolo (2019). ["An annotated checklist of the fishes of the family Sparidae"](https://www.biotaxa.org/ft/article/view/56674). *FishTaxa*. **4** (2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Fowler, Henry W. (1936). "The Marine Fishes of West Africa Based on the Collection of the American Museum Congo Expedition, 1909–1915. Part II". *Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History*. **70**: 848–850. [hdl](/source/Hdl_(identifier)):[2246/1072](https://hdl.handle.net/2246%2F1072).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CofF_3-0)** Fricke, Ron; [Eschmeyer, William N.](/source/William_N._Eschmeyer) & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). ["Genera in the family Sparidae"](http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=genus&family=Sparidae). *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)*. [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences). Retrieved 31 December 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Nelson5_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Nelson5_4-1) [Nelson, J.S.](/source/Joseph_S._Nelson); Grande, T.C.; Wilson, M.V.H. (2016). *Fishes of the World* (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: [John Wiley & Sons](/source/John_Wiley_%26_Sons). pp. 502–506. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1002/9781119174844](https://doi.org/10.1002%2F9781119174844). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-118-34233-6](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-118-34233-6). [LCCN](/source/LCCN_(identifier)) [2015037522](https://lccn.loc.gov/2015037522). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [951899884](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/951899884). [OL](/source/OL_(identifier)) [25909650M](https://openlibrary.org/books/OL25909650M).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ETYFish_5-0)** ["Order SPARIFORMES: Families LETHRINIDAE, NEMIPTERIDAE and SPARIDAE"](https://web.archive.org/web/20231030165034/https://etyfish.org/spariformes/). *The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database*. Christopher Scharpf. 22 December 2022. Archived from [the original](https://etyfish.org/spariformes/) on 30 October 2023. Retrieved 28 December 2023.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_6-1) [Froese, Rainer](/source/Rainer_Froese); [Pauly, Daniel](/source/Daniel_Pauly) (eds.). ["Species in genus *Boops*"](https://www.fishbase.org/identification/SpeciesList.php?genus=Boops). *[FishBase](/source/FishBase)*. October 2023 version.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Carnevale, Giorgio (2002-12-13). ["Boops roulei Arambourg (Teleostei, Percoidei) in the Messinian of Central Italy, with comments on systematics, paleoecology and zoogeography"](https://www.schweizerbart.de//papers/njgpm/detail/2002/92041/Boops_roulei_Arambourg_Teleostei_Percoidei_in_the_?af=crossref). *Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie - Monatshefte* (12): 725–736. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1127/njgpm/2002/2002/725](https://doi.org/10.1127%2Fnjgpm%2F2002%2F2002%2F725).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Carnevale, Giorgio; Harzhauser, M. (2013), [*The Badenian Fish Fauna of St. Margarethen, Eisenstadt-Sopron Basin, Burgenland, Central Paratethys: Stratigraphy, Paleoecology and Paleobiogeography*](https://iris.unito.it/handle/2318/138505), TUR, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-975-561-438-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-975-561-438-0), retrieved 2025-08-28

1. **[^](#cite_ref-WIOF_9-0)** Yukio Iwatsuki and Phillip C Heemstra (2022). "Family Sparidae". In [Phillip C Heemstra](/source/Phil_Heemstra); Elaine Heemstra; David A Ebert; Wouter Holleman; and [John E Randall](/source/John_Ernest_Randall) (eds.). [*Coastal Fishes of the Western Indian Ocean*](https://saiab.ac.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/1._wiof_volume_3_text.pdf) (PDF). Vol. 3. South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. pp. 284–315. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-990951-32-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-990951-32-9).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fishbase2_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fishbase2_10-1) [Froese, Rainer](/source/Rainer_Froese); [Pauly, Daniel](/source/Daniel_Pauly) (eds.). ["*Boops boops*"](https://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Boops&speciesname=boops). *[FishBase](/source/FishBase)*. October 2023 version.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-iucn_11-0)** Iwatsuki, Y.; Russell, B.; Pollard, D.; et al. (2014). ["*Boops lineatus*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/170171/1287031). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2014** e.T170171A1287031. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170171A1287031.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170171A1287031.en). Retrieved 31 December 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-iucn2_12-0)** Pollard, D.; Carpenter, K.E. & Russell, B. (2014). ["*Boops boops*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/170251/1301787). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2014** e.T170251A1301787. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170251A1301787.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170251A1301787.en). Retrieved 31 December 2023.

Taxon identifiers Boops Wikidata: Q2709469 Wikispecies: Boops ADW: Boops BOLD: 3458 CoL: 3BG4 EoL: 46579923 GBIF: 2375084 iNaturalist: 87017 ITIS: 169217 NBN: NBNSYS0000179818 NCBI: 36218 Open Tree of Life: 1025398 Paleobiology Database: 35965 WoRMS: 126073

Authority control databases National Israel Other Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Boops](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boops) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boops?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.