Calamus nodosus

Calamus nodosus
Knobbed Porgy – Calamus nodosus
FamilyScientific NameAuthorYearCommon Name
SparidaeCalamus nodosusRandall and Caldwell1966Knobbed Porgy

Calamus nodosus

Unique Characters: 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).

Similar Species:

Whitebone Porgy
Calamus leucosteus

Jolthead Porgy
Calamus bajonado

Calamus leucosteus
Whitebone porgy – Calamus leucosteus
Calamus bajonado
Jolthead porgy – Calamus bajonado

Whitebone Porgy Calamus leucosteus. 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.

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

Saucereye Porgy
Calamus calamus

Calamus proridens
Littlehead Porgy – Calamus proridens
Calamus calamus
Saucereye Porgy – Calamus calamus

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. 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.

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