New 🐟 Mercury Safety Guide & Omega-3 Rankings Updated for 2026. View Omega-3 Rankings →

🌊 Marine Least Concern 🍽️ Edible 🎣 Game Fish ⚡ Reports of ciguatera poisoning 🌡️ Tropical

Pluma porgy

Calamus pennatula Guichenot, 1868
Max Length
37 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.7
Depth
0–85 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
37.00/100
Typical Length
30 cm
Depth Zone
reef

📖 Overview

Adults often seen over rocky areas or reefs, but also on flat bottoms to about 85 m depth, while the young inhabit shallower waters . Feeds on crabs, mollusks, worms, brittle stars and hermit crabs . This is the most common species of the genus in the Antilles . Important food fish .

Scientific Name
Calamus pennatula
Authority
Guichenot, 1868
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
37 cm
Depth Range
0–85 m
Latitude
25°S – 28°N
Trophic Level
3.7
Resilience
Medium
Vulnerability
37.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10. Dorsal profile of head moderately steep; prefrontal tubercle not well developed; silvery with a lavender iridescence, the edges of the scales brownish yellow and the centers with a vertically elongate iridescent blue-green or blue spot .: short and / or deep.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Pluma porgy is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

Diet information for Pluma porgy is currently being compiled.

🥚 Reproduction

Reproduction data for Pluma porgy is currently being compiled.

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 85 m , usually 5 - 30 m . Tropical; 28°N - 25°S, 91°W - 31°W

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🪸 Reef Associated
Trophic Level
3.7±0.2
Food Items

crabs, mollusks, worms, brittle stars and hermit crabs (Ref

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.0195 × L2.93 (TL)
Max TL
37cm
Dorsal Spines
12
Dorsal Rays
12
Anal Spines
3
Anal Rays
10

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2011

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
Medium
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
37.00/100
Moderate vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.7
Predator
Body Shape
Short and / or deep
Climate Zone
Tropical
Latitude Range
28°N – 25°S
Described By
Guichenot, 1868

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Pluma porgy is an edible species."

✗ Not for Raw
✓ Fresh Indicators
  • Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
  • Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
  • Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
  • Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
  • Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
✗ Avoid If
  • Cloudy or sunken eyes
  • Strong fishy or ammonia odour
  • Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
  • Discoloured or dry flesh
Best Cooking Methods
Baking Grilling Pan-frying

Nutrition

Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central

Nutrient Amount
Protein 19.3 g
Omega-3 (total) 124 mg

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Pluma porgy has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

Best Choice
Healthy stocks, low impact
Good Alternative
Well-managed, minor concerns
Use Caution
Check sourcing and season
Avoid
Overfished or high impact

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 26 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

👥 Community & Contribute

Aquareap Community Observations
0 Observations logged on Aquareap

No observations yet - be the first to log one!

View all observations for Pluma porgy ↗
Suggest an Edit

Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.

Link to a scientific paper, FishBase, or other authoritative source
Report an Issue

Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.