Dara (fish) (Parakuhlia macrophthalma)

Classification (WoRMS)

Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Eupercaria incertae sedis · Family: Haemulidae · Genus: Parakuhlia.

Accepted name: Parakuhlia macrophthalma · Authority: (Osório, 1893) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 1577343.

Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Haemulon macrophthalmum Osório, 1893; Parakuhlia boulengeri Pellegrin, 1913; Parakuhlia macrophtalmus (Osório, 1893); Parakuhlia macrophthalmus (Osório, 1893).

Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1577343 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Biology and life history (FishBase)

Measured values published by FishBase for Parakuhlia macrophthalma. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.

Maximum length: 20 cm · Common length: 15 cm · Habitat zone: demersal · Body shape: short and / or deep · Vulnerability index: 10 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial.

FishBase notes: Neritic species (Ref. 7356). Inhabits inshore water, frequenting rocky coast and beaches to depths of 20 m (Ref. 9675).

Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 4999) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Parakuhlia-macrophthalma.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.

Conservation status (IUCN Red List)

The IUCN Red List assesses Parakuhlia macrophthalmus (Osório, 1893) as Data Deficient (code DD). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.

Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 194425) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/194425/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2382459) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2382459/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-25.

Description and natural history (Wikipedia)

The dara has an oval, moderately deep and laterally compressed body with a steep head, the profile of the head being, a little concave above the large eyes and ending in a short, blunt snout. The mouth is large, set diagonally and has protrusible jaws. The jaws are equipped with many bands made up of villiform teeth which are also on the vomer but there are no teeth on the palate There is a single dorsal fin but it has a deep notch between the spiny portion and the soft-rayed portion. The dorsal fin contains 11 spines in before the notch and 1 spine and 15 or 16 soft rays behind the notch, the anal fin has 3 spines and 16 soft rays.

The caudal fin is slightly emarginated. It is mostly silvery in colour, darker on the back, while the fins are dark yellow. This species attains a maximum total length of 20 cm, although 15 cm is more typical.

Distribution

The dara is found in the eastern Atlantic Ocean along the western coast of Africa from Senegal in the north to Angola in the south, it is commonest in the Gulf of Guinea.

Habitat and biology

The dara is found at depths between 2 and 20 m where it is found in inshore waters at rocky coasts and beaches. It is an oviparous species which forms distinct pairs for spawning. Almost nothing is known about the biology of this species.

Systematics

The dara was first formally described in 1893 as Haemulon macropthalmus by the Portuguese naturalist Balthasar Osório with the type locality given as Rolas Island off São Tomé Island. In 1913 the French zoologist Jacques Pellegrin (1873-1944) described a new species and placed it in the new genus Parakuhlia, giving it the specific name boulengeri. Pellegrin's taxon was later shown to be a junior synonym of Osório's Haemulon macropthalmus.

Parakuhlia is monotypic, the dara being the only species in this genus. This species was originally placed in the Flagtail family, Kuhliidae and the generic name Parakuhlia is a reference to Pellegrin's note that this species is similar in appearance to Kuhlia caudovittata although it differed in a number of characteristics. The specific name marcropthalma means large-eyed.

Utilisation

The dara is not considered to be important to commercial fisheries but it is caught by artisanal fisheries using seines, set nets and hook and line. The fish are sold fresh and normally eaten fried or smoked.

Source: Wikipedia: Dara (fish) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dara_%28fish%29 (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.