A REVIEW OF FISHES AND FISHERIES OF THE FAMILIES COIIDAE, DINOPERCIDAE, LETHRINIDAE, LOBOTIDAE, NEMIPTERIDAE, AND PENTACEROTIDAE FROM PAKISTAN

Perciforms or perch-like bony fishes belonging to the families Coiidae (tigerfishes), Dinopercidae (cavebasses), Lethrinidae (emperors), Lobotidae (tripletails), Nemipteridae (threadfin breams), and Pentacerotidae (armorheads) were reported from Pakistan. Spangled emperor, belonging to the Family Lethrinidae, Atlantic tripletail, belonging to Lobotidae, Japanese threadfin bream, and Randall’s threadfin bream, belonging to Family Nemipteridae, are considered to be of commercial importance, which are not only locally consumed but also exported. Sindh is one of the type localities of the lampfish (Dinoperca petersii), which was reported to be of common occurrence about 150 years ago and is now found to be almost extinct in Pakistan. On the contrary, Atlantic tripletail was a rare occurrence about 15 years ago; however, it is now landed in appreciable commercial quantities and exported. The Families Lethrinidae, Nemipteridae, Lobotidae, Dinopercidae, Coiidae, and Pentacerotidae are represented by 34 species in Pakistan