Herklotsichthys gotoi Wongratana, 1983
Goto's herring
Herklotsichthys gotoi
photo by FAO

Family:  Dorosomatidae (Gizzard shads and sardinellas)
Max. size:  9 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  pelagic-neritic; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m, anadromous
Distribution:  Western Central Pacific: New Guinea (Mimika River) and northern Australia (Gulf of Carpentaria).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 0-0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-21; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 12-23. Distinguished from most other Australian Herklotsichthys by lacking spots on the flank, except for a single dark spot behind gill cover and lacking elongate wing-like scales underneath the normal paired pre-dorsal scales. Lacks the 3 distinct dark lines along upper flank; no dark tip to dorsal fin.
Biology:  Schools in coastal waters and appears to enter estuaries, if not to ascend some way up to rivers.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 02 March 2017 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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