XI, D. 3 Seale: Fishes of Mindanao and Sulu 237 



the Japanese mackerel, salay salay or hasa hasa; the Spanish 

 mackerel or king fish, known as tangili or tanguingue; and the 

 tuna, bonito, and albacore, known as sobad or tulingan. 



The pompano family, Carangidse, is represented by forty-six 

 species. These range in weight from the round robin or deca- 

 patus, of 1 kilogram or less, to the giant cavalla or pompano, 

 of from 30 to 45 kilograms. The larger species are well-known 

 food and game fishes. The herring and sardine family, Clu- 

 peidse, local name, tamban, is represented by about twenty spe- 

 cies. According to the ruling of the United States Bureau of 

 Fisheries, any member of this family may be legally labeled a 

 sardine. Closely associated with this family are the anchovies, 

 talica or anacbat, family Engraulidse, which are abundant. 

 These are used to make the red condiment for curry. 



The sea bass family, Serranidse, which includes all the sea bass 

 and groupers called lapo-lapo, garopa, and cuccut, is a very 

 important group of food fishes. This family includes some of 

 the best and highest priced species. They range in weight 

 from the beautiful, blue-spotted lapo-lapo of 0.25 kilogram to 

 the giant sea bass, Epinephalus lanciolatus, of 800 kilograms. 



The snappers, Lutianidae, are represented in these waters by 

 about fifty species. The most important of these are the gray 

 snappers, calumbang ; the red snapper, moamia or bacbaan; the 

 dusky snapper, camang-buhu; and several smaller species called 

 dopa and mangagat. All are excellent food fishes. Closely 

 allied in general appearance to the snappers are the porgies, 

 cutamboc or gaud-gaud, of which there are about twenty species. 



The mullets or banac, family Mugilidse, are of great com- 

 mercial importance in the Sulu Archipelago. Great schools of 

 mullets have been observed in the vicinity of Sitanki Island. 



The barracudas, family Sphyrsenidse, constitute another im- 

 portant group of food and game fishes, known to the Moros as 

 lumbanac or bagasan. There are few fishes that excel the young 

 barracuda as a food fish. They are common along almost all 

 reefs in the Sulu Sea. The large species furnish excellent sport 

 for the rod and reel. 



FISHING METHODS 



The Moros capture fish by means of a large corral, provided 

 they can afford to build one; otherwise they use small nets, 

 traps, and spears. Comparatively few large nets are in use 

 among these people. 



An improvement on these methods of fishing would be the use 

 of the purse net. However, the cost would preclude its use by 



