# Gymnocrotaphus

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gymnocrotaphus
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gymnocrotaphus.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gymnocrotaphus
> Source revision: 1354753966
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Seabream endemic to South Africa

Gymnocrotaphus Janbruin at Whittle Rock Conservation status Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Acanthuriformes Family: Sparidae Genus: Gymnocrotaphus Günther, 1859 Species: G. curvidens Binomial name Gymnocrotaphus curvidens Günther, 1859

***Gymnocrotaphus*** is a *monospecific genus* of marine [ray-finned fish](/source/Actinopterygii) belonging to the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Sparidae](/source/Sparidae), which includes the seabreams and porgies. The only species in the genus is the ***Gymnocrotophus curvidens***, the **Janbruin**, an [endemic](/source/Endemism) to the coasts of South Africa.

## Taxonomy

*Gymnocrotaphus* was first proposed as a monospecific genus in 1859 by the German-bprn British [herpetologist](/source/Herpetologist) and [ichthyologist](/source/Ichthyologist) [Albert Günther](/source/Albert_G%C3%BCnther)[2] when he [described](/source/Species_description) its only species, *Gymnocrotaphus curvidens*, from the [Cape of Good Hope](/source/Cape_of_Good_Hope).[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,[5] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sparidae.[4]

## Etymology

*Gymnocrotaphus* combines *gymnos*, meaning naked, and *crotaphus* meaning "cheek", a reference to the lack of scales on the cheeks of this species. The [specific name](/source/Specific_name_(zoology)), *curvidens*, means "curved teeth", an allusion to the curved incisor-like teeth in rows in the front of each jaw.[6]

## Description

*Gymnocrotaphus* has a naked head, except for some scales on the [gill cover](/source/Gill_cover). There is a band of curved [incisor](/source/Incisor)-like teeth in each jaw with a band of smaller conical teeth inside this and the very small [molar](/source/Molar_(tooth))-like teeth inside those. There are 10 spines and 11 or 12 soft rays supporting the [dorsal fin](/source/Dorsal_fin) while the [anal fin](/source/Anal_fin) is supported by 3 spines and 9 or 10 soft rays. The body is rather plump and deep, its depth fitting into its [standard length](/source/Standard_length) 2.3 times. The dorsal profile of the headis concave in front of the eyes, and just above the eyes too. In life the colour of the body is coppery brown with a bluish grey head and blue eyes. Along each scale row there are orange lines.[7] This species has a maximum published [total length](/source/Total_length) of 50 cm (20 in).[8]

## Distribution and habitat

*Gymnoctotaphus* is endemic to the southeastern Atlantic and southwestern Indian Oceans where it is endemic to the coasts of South Africa from [False Bay](/source/False_Bay) in the [{Western Cape to [Port St. Johns](/source/Port_St._Johns) in the [Eastern Cape](/source/Eastern_Cape).[7] This species is found at depths between 1 and 80 m (3 ft 3 in and 262 ft 6 in) on shallow reefs.[1]

## Biology

*Gymnocrotaphus* is an omnivorous, feeding on [sea squirts](/source/Sea_squirt), [bryozoans](/source/Bryozoa), [polychaetes](/source/Polychaete), [algae](/source/Algae) and [crustaceans](/source/Crustacean). It is a sedentary species which tends to stay close to the reef in crevices and overhangs.[9][10][11] Little is known about the biology of this species but it is thought it may be [hermaphroditic](/source/Sequential_hermaphroditism).[1]

## Economic importance

Caught by shore anglers and spearfishers, with bag limit, prohibited for sale.[9]

## Conservation status

IUCN Status: Least concern. This species is considered to be effectively protected by no-take MPAs over its entire distributional range.[9]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-iucn_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-iucn_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-iucn_1-2) Mann, B.Q.; Buxton, C.D.; Russell, B.; Pollard, D. & [Carpenter, K.E.](/source/Kent_E._Carpenter) (2014). ["*Gymnocrotaphus curvidens*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/170193/1290621). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2014** e.T170193A1290621. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170193A1290621.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170193A1290621.en). Retrieved 28 January 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CofF_2-0)** 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 28 January 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CofF2_3-0)** Fricke, Ron; [Eschmeyer, William N.](/source/William_N._Eschmeyer) & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). ["Species in the genus *Gymnocrotaphus*"](http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=species&genus=Gymnocrotaphus). *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)*. [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences). Retrieved 28 January 2024.

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-Parenti_5-0)** Parenti, P. (2019). ["An annotated checklist of the fishes of the family Sparidae"](https://fishtaxa.com/menuscript/index.php/ft/article/view/49/52). *FishTaxa*. **4** (2): 47–98.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-ETYFish_6-0)** Christopher Scharpf (12 January 2024). ["Order ACANTHURIFORMES (part 6): Families GERREIDAE, LETHRINIDAE, NEMIPTERIDAE and SPARIDAE"](https://etyfish.org/acanthuriformes6/). *The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database*. Christopher Scharpf. Retrieved 28 January 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-WIOF_7-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-WIOF_7-1) 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. **[^](#cite_ref-Fishbase_8-0)** [Froese, Rainer](/source/Rainer_Froese); [Pauly, Daniel](/source/Daniel_Pauly) (eds.). ["*Gymnocrotaphus curvidens*"](https://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Gymnocrotaphus&speciesname=curvidens). *[FishBase](/source/FishBase)*. October 2023 version.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-SANBI_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-SANBI_9-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-SANBI_9-2) ["Red List of South African Species"](http://speciesstatus.sanbi.org/assessment/last-assessment/02917/). SANBI. December 2000. Retrieved 24 August 2023.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Branch_et_al_2010_10-0)** Branch, G.M.; Branch, M.L.; Griffiths, C.L.; Beckley, L.E. (2010). *Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa* (2nd ed.). Cape Town: Struik Nature. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-77007-772-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-77007-772-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Jones_2008_11-0)** Jones, Georgina (2008). *A field guide to the marine animals of the Cape Peninsula*. Cape Town: SURG. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-620-41639-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-620-41639-9).

Taxon identifiers Gymnocrotaphus Wikidata: Q2507192 Wikispecies: Gymnocrotaphus BOLD: 3493 CoL: 4RT8 GBIF: 2392635 iNaturalist: 88661 ITIS: 647869 NCBI: 119716 WoRMS: 204115 Gymnocrotaphus curvidens Wikidata: Q2108876 BOLD: 11680 CoL: 6L77R FishBase: 8102 GBIF: 5211023 iNaturalist: 446063 IRMNG: 10580117 ITIS: 647946 IUCN: 170193 NCBI: 119717 OBIS: 218603 Open Tree of Life: 743344 WoRMS: 218603

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