| Family: |
Leiognathidae (Slimys, slipmouths, or ponyfishes), subfamily: Gazzinae |
| Max. size: |
23 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 2 years |
| Environment: |
demersal; brackish; marine; depth range 10 - 100 m, amphidromous |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: from India to Papua New Guinea; north to Japan; south to Australia, |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-16; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 14-14; Vertebrae: 24-24. This species of the Leiognathus splendens complex is distinguished by the following characters: no scales on cheek; anterior dorsolateral body surface almost completely scaled without a semicircular naked area on nape; lower margin of inner preopercular ridge is smooth or weakly serrated (including the neotype); interspace of pelvic keels without scales; second spines of dorsal and anal fins are robust (width of second spines of dorsal and anal fins 0.87-1.6% of SL and 0.76-1.7% of SL, respectively); a jet black blotch on spinous dorsal fin (Ref. 75583).
Description: Belly silvery; back greyish silvery with faint, grey wavy vertical lines above lateral lines in adults; lateral line scales and pectoral fin base yellow; pectoral axil black. Scales small and deciduous. Nuchal spine with a distinct median keel. Chest fully scaled. Mouth horizontal, pointing slightly downward when protracted; line of closed mouth passing below eye; a narrow brown band around end of snout. Lower edge of operculum and margin of supraorbital serrated. Third and fourth dorsal and third anal spines anteriorly serrated (Ref. 2108). |
| Biology: |
This schooling species inhabits coastal waters. It feeds on fish, crustaceans, foraminiferans, and bivalves (Ref. 5213). The annotated bibliography of Leiognathidae by Pauly and Wade-Pauly (Ref. 4961) includes 172 references pertaining explicitly to Leiognathus splendens. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 25 August 2011 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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