Genus: Eumegistus, Pomfrets, Tropical Pomfret

EUMEGISTUS

POMFRETS

Head and body compressed, a deep oval tapering to slender tail base; head profiles convex, snout short, bluntly rounded; between eyes strongly rounded; mouth strongly oblique, lower jaw projecting, the rear of the top jaw wide, exposed and covered with scales; lower jaws do not meet along entire centerline underneath head, exposing part of the isthmus; the single dorsal and anal fins have long bases, similar shapes I-III spines; dorsal originates behind pectoral base, low with distinct lobe at front; anal low, without front lobe; pectoral low on body, long, reaches to anal fin; pelvics small, inserted under rear of pectoral base; tail base without transverse groove before tail fin; tail strongly concave, with a central rounded lobe, its rear edge white; scales small, cover body, nape, cheeks, operculum, and top jaw; dorsal & anal fins scaly; scales on body smooth, with a central soft keel, those on center of tail base with a strong, forward pointing spine in young adults; scales abruptly change size between tail base and tail fin, those on tail fin smaller; keel of scales along belly centerline.

Two species, one trans Atlantic the other Pacific.