Species: Taractes rubescens, Black pomfret, Keeled pomfret, Keeltail pomfret

Taractes rubescens (Jordan & Evermann, 1887)

Keeltail pomfret, Black pomfret, Keeled pomfret

Head and body compressed, moderately elongated (body depth 36-45% of SL); snout pointed; upper head profile straight, oblique; mouth opens at front, strongly oblique, the rear of the top jaw wide, exposed and covered with scales; top jaw bone exposed, large, scaly; eye large; between eyes flat to concave; 9-11 gill rakers; the single dorsal and anal fins have long bases, similar shapes and sizes, I-III spines; dorsal 30-32 rays originates over pectoral, low, with large pointed lobe at front; anal 21-23 rays low, with longer, pointed front lobe; tail fin strongly concave; tail base with a large, long keel made of fused scales, and a well developed transverse groove before tail fin; pectoral 19-22 rays; low on body, long, reaches past front lobe of anal fin; pelvics not tiny, 13-19% of SL, inserted just before pectoral base; scales large, cover body, nape, cheeks, operculum, and top jaw, scaleless areas above and behind eye; dorsal & anal fins scaly, no scaly sheath along base of those fins; adults without lateral line; juveniles with very long fins.