Pristigenys alta

{{Short description|Species of ray-finned fish}} {{Speciesbox | image = Short bigeye (Pristigenys alta).jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 20 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Dooley, J. |author2=Collette, B. |author3=Aiken, K.A. |author4=Marechal, J. |author5=Pina Amargos, F. |author6=Singh-Renton, S. |date=2015 |title=''Pristigenys alta'' |volume=2015 |article-number=e.T190397A1950515 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2015-4.RLTS.T190397A1950515.en |access-date=20 November 2021}}</ref> | taxon = Pristigenys alta | authority = (Gill, 1862) | synonyms = *''Priacanthus altus'' <small>Gill, 1862</small> * ''Pseudopriacanthus altus'' <small>(Gill, 1862)</small> | synonyms_ref = <ref name = Fishbase>{{Fishbase|Pristigenys|alta|month=December|year=2019}}</ref> }}

'''''Pristigenys alta''''', the '''toro''' or '''short bigeye''', is a species of fish in the family Priacanthidae.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=159295 |title=WoRMS - World Register of Marine Species - Pristigenys alta (Gill, 1862) |publisher=Marinespecies.org |access-date=2012-07-21}}</ref> Some anglers refer to this fish as "toro snapper", but it is not a snapper, and only distantly related to the fish of the snapper family.

==Description== The most noticeable characteristic of ''Pristigenys alta'' is its very large eyes. This species is blunt, bright red, and ovate, with a flattened, disk-like body. It is commonly about 20 cm long, but can grow to a maximum length of 30 cm.<ref name="fishbase1">{{cite web|url=http://www.fishbase.us/summary/Pristigenys-alta.html |title=Pristigenys alta, Short bigeye: aquarium |publisher=Fishbase.us |date=2012-07-03 |access-date=2012-07-21}}</ref> It has rough scales, and large ventral fins.<gallery mode="packed" widths="150" heights="200"> File:Pristigenys alta 315037070.png|Juvenile File:Pristigenys alta 148779957.jpg|Adult </gallery>

==Distribution== This species is found in the Western Atlantic along the east coast of North America from North Carolina southwards, the Gulf of Mexico, in the Caribbean Sea<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gma.org/fogm/Pseudopriacanthus_altus.htm |title=Short big-eye |publisher=Gma.org |access-date=2012-07-21}}</ref> and West Indies.<ref name="fishbase1"/>

==Habitat== ''Pristigenys alta'' is a solitary marine fish that lives mainly in reef areas at depths of between 5 and 200 metres. It can also be found on rocky bottoms.<ref name="fishbase1"/>

==References== {{Reflist}}

alta Category:Fish described in 1862 Category:Fish of the Atlantic Ocean