# Spicara

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spicara
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Spicara.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spicara
> Source revision: 1354745526
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

Genus of fishes

Spicara Temporal range: Early Miocene–present PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Spicara flexuosa Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Acanthuriformes Family: Sparidae Genus: Spicara Rafinesque, 1810 Type species Spicara flexuosa Rafinesque, 1810 Synonyms[1] Coleosmaris Norman, 1931 Maena Cuvier, 1829 Marsis Barnard, 1927 Merolepis Rafinesque, 1810 Pterosmaris Fowler, 1925

***Spicara*** is a [genus](/source/Genus) of [ray-finned fish](/source/Actinopterygii) belonging to the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Sparidae](/source/Sparidae), which includes the seabreams and porgies. These fishes are found in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The species in the genus are known as **picarels**.

## Taxonomy

*Spicara* was first proposed as a [monospecific genus](/source/Monospecific_genus) in 1810 by the French [naturalist](/source/Naturalist) and [polymath](/source/Polymath) [Constantine Samuel Rafinesque](/source/Constantine_Samuel_Rafinesque) when he [described](/source/Species_description) *Spicara flexuosa* as a new species.[1] Rafinesque gave the [type locality](/source/Type_locality_(biology)) of *S. flexuosa* as [Sicily](/source/Sicily).[2] The genera *Spicara* and *[Centracanthus](/source/Centracanthus)* were formerly classified within the family Centracanthidae but [phylogenetic](/source/Phylogenetics) analyses recovered the family Sparidae as paraphyletic if Spicara was not included within it. The 5th edition of Fishes of the World classifies the picarels 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)*.[3] Some authorities classify this genus in the subfamily Boopsinae,[4] but the 5th edition of Fishes of the World does not recognise subfamilies within the Sparidae.[3]

## Etymology

*Spicara* is a vernacular name for picarels, particularly *S. flexuosa* in Italy. This is presumed to derive from *spica*, "a spike", or *spicare*, meaning "in the form of or furnished with a spike", Rafinesque did not explain why he chose this name.[5]

## Species

There are currently eight recognized species in this genus:[6]

- *[Spicara alta](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spicara_alta&action=edit&redlink=1)* ([Osório](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Balthazar_Os%C3%B3rio&action=edit&redlink=1), 1917) (Bigeye picarel)

- *[Spicara australis](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spicara_australis&action=edit&redlink=1)* ([Regan](/source/Charles_Tate_Regan), 1921) (Southern picarel)

- *[Spicara axillare](/source/Spicara_axillare)* ([Boulenger](/source/George_Albert_Boulenger), 1900) (Windtoy)

- *[Spicara flexuosum](/source/Spicara_flexuosum)* ([Rafinesque](/source/Constantine_Samuel_Rafinesque), 1810)[7][8]

- *[Spicara maena](/source/Spicara_maena)* ([Linnaeus](/source/Carl_Linnaeus), 1758) (Blotched picarel)

- *[Spicara martinicus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spicara_martinicus&action=edit&redlink=1)* ([Valenciennes](/source/Achille_Valenciennes), 1830)

- *[Spicara melanurus](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spicara_melanurus&action=edit&redlink=1)* Valenciennes, 1830) (Blackspot picarel)

- *[Spicara nigricauda](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spicara_nigricauda&action=edit&redlink=1)* ([Norman](/source/John_Roxborough_Norman), 1931) (Blacktail picarel)

- *[Spicara smaris](/source/Spicara_smaris)* (Linnaeus, 1758) (Picarel)

The following fossil species are also known:

- †*[Spicara dionysii](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spicara_dionysii&action=edit&redlink=1)* [Arambourg](/source/Camille_Arambourg), 1927 - [Late Miocene](/source/Late_Miocene) of [Algeria](/source/Algeria)[9]

- †*[Spicara islamdagica](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Spicara_islamdagica&action=edit&redlink=1)* (Prokofiev, 2001) - [Early Miocene](/source/Early_Miocene) of [Azerbaijan](/source/Azerbaijan)[10]

The former species *Spicara fundata* Bannikov, 1990 from the [Middle Miocene](/source/Middle_Miocene) of [Moldova](/source/Moldova) is now placed in its own genus, †*[Naslavcea](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Naslavcea_fundata&action=edit&redlink=1)*. Potential earlier fossils of *Spicara* are known dating back to the [Eocene](/source/Eocene), but only the form of isolated [otoliths](/source/Otolith).[10][11]

## Characteristics

*Spicara* picarels have oblong bodies which are deeper than the length of the head. They have a continuous dorsal fin with the bases of the soft rayed parts of both the dorsal and the [anal fin](/source/Anal_fin) are enclosed in a scaly sheath.[12] The largest species in the genus is *S. axillaris* with a maximum published [total length](/source/Total_length) of 38 cm (15 in) while with a maximum published total length of 20 cm (7.9 in) *S. nigricauda* is the smallest species.[6]

## Distribution

*Spicara* picarels are found mainly in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and the western Indian Ocean.[6] There is one species *S. martinicum* which is known only from its [holotype](/source/Holotype) collected off the island of [Martinique](/source/Martinique) in the [Caribbean Sea](/source/Caribbean_Sea).[13]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CofF_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CofF_1-1) 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 20 February 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-CofF2_2-0)** Fricke, Ron; [Eschmeyer, William N.](/source/William_N._Eschmeyer) & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). ["Species in the genus *Spicara*"](http://researcharchive.calacademy.org/research/ichthyology/catalog/fishcatget.asp?tbl=species&genus=Spicara). *[Catalog of Fishes](/source/Catalog_of_Fishes)*. [California Academy of Sciences](/source/California_Academy_of_Sciences). Retrieved 20 February 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Nelson5_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Nelson5_3-1) [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_4-0)** 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_5-0)** 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 20 February 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Fishbase_6-2) [Froese, Rainer](/source/Rainer_Froese); [Pauly, Daniel](/source/Daniel_Pauly) (eds.). ["Species in genus *Spicara*"](https://www.fishbase.org/identification/SpeciesList.php?genus=Spicara). *[FishBase](/source/FishBase)*. October 2023 version.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Bektas Y.; Aksu I.; Kalayci G.; Irmak E.; Engin S.; Turan D. (2018). ["Genetic differentiation of three *Spicara (Pisces: Centracanthidae*) species, *S. maena, S. flexuosa* and *S. smaris*: and intraspecific substructure of *S. flexuosa* in Turkish coastal waters"](https://doi.org/10.4194%2F1303-2712-v18_2_09). *Turkish Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences*. **18** (2): 301–311. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.4194/1303-2712-v18_2_09](https://doi.org/10.4194%2F1303-2712-v18_2_09).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Imsiridou A.; Minos G.; Gakopoulou A.; Katsares V.; Karidas T.; Katselis G. (2011). "Discrimination of two picarel species *Spicara flexuosa* and *Spicara maena (Pisces: Centracanthidae)* based on mitochondrial DNA sequences". *Journal of Fish Biology*. **78** (1): 373–377. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2011JFBio..78..373I](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2011JFBio..78..373I). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/j.1095-8649.2010.02858.x](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fj.1095-8649.2010.02858.x). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [21235569](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21235569).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Gaudant, Jean (2008). ["Paléobiodiversité et paléoenvironnements: l'exemple des gisements de poissons téléostéens du Messinien préévaporitique d'Oran et du bassin du Chélif (Algérie)"](https://sciencepress.mnhn.fr/en/periodiques/geodiversitas/30/1/paleobiodiversite-et-paleoenvironnements-l-exemple-des-gisements-de-poissons-teleosteens-du-messinien-preevaporitique-d-oran-et-du-bassin-du-chelif-algerie). *Geodiversitas*. **30** (1): 141–163.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_10-1) Bannikov, A. F. (2006-01-01). "On the miocene centracanthidae (Teleostei, Perciformes) from the eastern Paratethys". *Paleontological Journal*. **40** (1): 100–102. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2006PalJ...40..100B](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006PalJ...40..100B). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1134/S0031030106010114](https://doi.org/10.1134%2FS0031030106010114). [ISSN](/source/ISSN_(identifier)) [1555-6174](https://search.worldcat.org/issn/1555-6174).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** Bannikov, A. F. (1990). ["A new smarid fish (Perciformes, Centracanthidae) from the Sarmatian of Moldavia"](https://www.researchgate.net/publication/306918529). *Paleontological Journal*. **24** (2): 99–103.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-WIOF_12-0)** 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. **[^](#cite_ref-iucn_13-0)** Carpenter, K.E.; [Russell, B.](/source/Kent_E._Carpenter) & Pollard, D. (2014). ["*Spicara martinicus*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/170287/1309077). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2014** e.T170287A1309077. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170287A1309077.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2014-3.RLTS.T170287A1309077.en). Retrieved 20 February 2024.

Taxon identifiers Spicara Wikidata: Q1408619 Wikispecies: Spicara BOLD: 34753 GBIF: 2393204 iNaturalist: 92165 IRMNG: 1370198 ITIS: 647857 NCBI: 98822 Open Tree of Life: 528671 Paleobiology Database: 36207 WoRMS: 125949

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