black sea red data book - Department of Biology

Betone betone euxini (Günther, 1899)
Synonyms: Esox betone Pallas, 1811; Betone rostrata Nordman, 1840; Betone betone
Borna, 1929; Betone acus euxini Popov, 1930.
Common names: Engl: Garfish Bulg: Zargan; Georg: Sarghani; Rom: Zargan; Russ:
Sargan; Turk: Zargana baligi; Ukr: Sargan.
Taxonomic description. Body elongate, almost cylindrical in section; head
prolonged into a beak-like, very long and sharp snout; lower jaw longer than upper
one so that the mouth is on top; small teeth on the jaw margins and a row of strong,
sharp and spaced internal teeth; large, near, triangular nostrils. Dorsal and anal fins
similar in shape and inserted far behind the mid-point of the body; neither fin has
finlets; dorsal fin margin slightly concave; pectoral fins with wide base and sharp top;
caudal fin deep emarginate, lower lobe shorter that the upper one; the lateral line runs
along the belly from the gill opening to near the tail. Gill rakers present (to be seen
after detaching the gill cover); scales easily detached, except along the lateral line;
back greenish-blue, sides and belly silvery, the latter with a; yellow tinge; pelvic and
anal fins yellowish with dark tips; the other fins are dark.
IUCN Status
World level:
Black Sea Regional level: EN
Subregion level: EN (Ukrainian sector)
Order BELONIFORMES,
Family BELONIDAE
Distribution. All Black Sea coastal waters, Sea of Azov, Sivash lagoon, Sinoe
lagoon, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean
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