| Family: |
Leiognathidae (Slimys, slipmouths, or ponyfishes), subfamily: Gazzinae |
| Max. size: |
12 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; marine; depth range 20 - 100 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: east coast of Africa (Mozambique, Oman) and the Red Sea (a Lessepsian migrant, Golani et al, 2011) to the Philippines; north to Japan (including Okinawa), Thailand (Gulf of Thailand); south to Malaysia (Sabah). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-16; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 14-14. This species of the Equulites elongatus group is distinguished by the following set of characters: eye diameter 82-137% postorbital head length; distance from pelvic-fin insertion to center of anus 35-50% of the distance from pelvic-fin insertion to anal-fin origin; scales above lateral line 8-13, below 12-19; dorsolateral body with large dark blotches rarely forming ring marks (0-2) and a few dark spots (0-5) that are smaller than a half of pupil diameter; the tips of neural and hemal spines of fourth preural centrum is less expanding, distal expansion ratios of neural and hemal spines of the fourth preural centrum 2.1-3.9. Colour of the head and ventrolateral body almost uniformly silvery white; snout tip blackish; upper posterior margin of the operculum pale yellow; dorsolateral body silvery brown with scattered dark blotches; pectoral axil dark and pectoral fin pale yellow; black lines along the caudal-fin rays, the posterior margin of caudal fin dark while other fins are colourless (Ref. 120651). |
| Biology: |
Inhabits shallow waters, usually in schools near the bottom. Feeds mainly on small crustaceans, polychaetes and algae (Ref. 30573). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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