| Family: |
Gerreidae (Mojarras) |
| Max. size: |
30 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; brackish; marine; depth range 1 - 40 m, oceanodromous |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: Madagascar to Australia. Reported from Vanuatu (Ref. 13300). Larvae reported in Japan as Gerres abbreviatus (Ref. 9902). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-7. Body silvery with indistinct fine dark stripes along scale rows above and 4-6 rows immediately below lateral line (apparent in newly preserved specimens; larger fishes). Body deep, depth max 1.9-2.3 in SL. Dorsal fin 2nd spine longer than 3rd; anal fin 2nd spine long and robust; caudal fin short and deeply forked; pectoral fins reaches beyond level of anal fin. No scales on upper preopercular flange in approximately 10 cm SL specimens; 1-5 scales (usually 2-3) in over 16 cm SL specimens. Scales between 5th dorsal fin spine base and lateral line 3.5-4.5 (Ref. 28029, 90102). Supraneural bones 3 (Ref. 41102). Ventral and anal fins yellow with white tips Ref. 34765). |
| Biology: |
Marine species that enters estuaries and coastal lagoons in Madagascar (Ref. 4323). Forms schools on sandy bottoms (Ref. 12915, 48635). Small juveniles feed on zooplankton, larger fish feed on small polychaetes, bivalves, crustaceans and fishes (Ref. 3409). In Palau, spawners migrate from mangroves and sand flats to the outer reef edge around the full moon (Ref. 1602). Marketed fresh or made into fishballs (Ref. 12915). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 02 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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