Relevant Synonyms Zenopsis conchifera Meristic formula D, IX-X + 24-27; A, III + 24-26; P, 11-14; V, I + 5

SHORT DESCRIPTION Body deep and highly compressed. A very deep notch separating the spinous portion from the ray portion of the dorsal fin. The first five dorsal spines are much longer than the dorsal rays and equipped with long filaments nearly twice in lengh than the spine. Anal fin opposite to soft ray portion of dorsal fin and similar in shape. Caudal fin slightly forked. Pectoral fin round. Pelvic fin long, originated in front of pectoral fin base and extends beyond pectoral fin end. Least caudal peduncle narrow. Large head with concave upper profile. Large mouth very oblique, nearly vertical and extremely protractile. Series of large bony plates, each equipped with a spine, at the base of dorsal and anal fins. Another series of long plates at midventral profile (between pelvic fin base and anus). No scales on the body. Color : body silvery-grey in adults, juveniles often have black spots on the body. Common size : 20-50 cm (max. 75 cm). DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS Zeus faber – A large black spot surrounding with yellowish ring on the flank; upper profile of head straight or convex. BIOLOGY / ECOLOGY Live in small groups. Feeds mainly on fishes. Spawning season in the warmer months. Habitat : near the substrate at depths of 100-400 m (mainly 200-300 m).

1st MEDITERRANEAN RECORD Tunisia, North of Capo Farina, 2007. DISTRIBUTION Worldwide : Western Indian Ocean (but not in the Red Sea), Atlantic, from Bay of Biscay to South Africa in the east and Sable Island, Canada to Argentina in the west. Mediterranean : Tunisia, North of Capo Farina (Ragonese and Giusto, 2007). ESTABLISHMENT SUCCESS Very rare, only a single specimen recorded from the Mediterranean. MODE OF INTRODUCTION Via Gibraltar.

KEY REFERENCES Froese R. and Pauly D., 2008. FishBase (on-line publication) www.fishbase.org Quéro J.C., 1981. Zeidae. In:   FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Eastern Central Atlantic ; fishing area 34, 47 (in part). FAO of the United Nations. Vol. IV. Pag. var. Quéro J.C., 1986. Zeidae. In: Fishes of the North-Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean.Whitehead  P.J.P., Bauchot M.L., Hureau J.C., Nielsen J. and Tortonese E. (eds.). Vol. II, pp. 769-772. Paris: UNESCO.   Ragonese S. and Giusto G.B., 2007. Zenopsis conchifera (Lowe, 1852) (Pisces, Actinopterygii, Zeidae): a new alien fish in the Mediterranean Sea. J. Fish Biology, 71: 1853-1857. FEEDBACK / COMMENTS TO AUTHORS

Last update of the species sheet: January 2009 ©ciesm 2002