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Gerres mozambiquensis Iwatsuki & Heemstra, 2007 |
| Family: | Gerreidae (Mojarras) | |||
| Max. size: | 11.9 cm SL (male/unsexed) | |||
| Environment: | pelagic; freshwater; brackish | |||
| Distribution: | Africa: only known from the Larde Estuary in Mozambique (Ref. 75744). | |||
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-10; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-7. Diagnosis: A species of Gerres with the following combination of characters: body depth 46-47% of standard length, distinctly more than head length; dorsal fin with 9 spines and 10 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 7 soft rays; pored lateral-line scales 43-44; 4-4.5 scales between fifth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line; 5.5-6.5 scales above lateral line, 9.5-10.5 below; scales on dorsum of head extend to or slightly beyond vertical at front edge of orbit, without two converging rows of minute scales within larger scales, premaxillary groove at front of interorbital area not scaly; gill rakers on first gill arch 12-13; second dorsal-fin spine longest, its length about twice orbit diameter; second anal-fin spine robust, ratio of greatest width of second spine to greatest width of third spine 1.7-1.8; margin of inter-spinous membranes of second to fifth dorsal-fin spines black; caudal fin lobes short, length of upper lobe equal to head length; body with six to eight indistinct dark vertical bars, bar width about half pupil diameter; supraneural bones three (Ref. 75744). Description: Body deep, compressed; rostro-occipital profile of head almost straight; predorsal length clearly less than body depth (Ref. 75744). Orbit diameter 2.4-2.7 times in head length, slightly greater than bony interorbital width; snout length less than orbit diameter; maxilla reaching to vertical at front margin of eye; mandibular profile weakly concave; preopercle edge smooth, rounded angle slightly less than 90° (Ref. 75744). Dorsal fin with 9 spines and 10 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 7 soft rays; pectoral fin with 15-16 rays, its length clearly greater than head length, fin tip reaching between verticals at anus and anal-fin origin; pelvic fins reach anus (Ref. 75744). Head and body scales cycloid; pored lateral-line scales 43-44, 5.5-6.5 scales above lateral line, 9.5-10.5 scales below lateral line; no scales on preopercle flange (Ref. 75744). Gill rakers short, rakers of upper series shorter than lower rakers, anteriormost raker of lower series usually longer than uppermost raker (Ref. 75744). Colouration: Head and body buff dorsally, becoming tinged with silver ventrally; fins hyaline except for blackish margin on front half of spinous dorsal fin; inner margin of caudal-fin lobes slightly darkened (Ref. 75744). |
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| Biology: | Currently only known from the type locality; no details available on whether habitat is freshwater or brackish (Ref. 75744). | |||
| IUCN Red List Status: | Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435) | |||
| Threat to humans: | harmless | |||