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Leiognathidae (Slimys, slipmouths, or ponyfishes) > Gazzinae
Eponymy: Thomas Edmund Burt Pope (1879–1958) was a scientific assistant in the US Bureau of Fisheries. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Whitley.
Issue
Common names of Equuilites elongatus retained in E. popei following respective countries of occurrence.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 20 - 100 m (Ref. 28016). Tropical; 45°N - 30°S, 30°E - 165°E
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).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 12.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 30573); common length : 8.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3424)
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 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).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.
Inhabits shallow waters, usually in schools near the bottom. Feeds mainly on small crustaceans, polychaetes and algae (Ref. 30573).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Suzuki, T. and S. Kimura, 2017. Taxonomic revision of the Equulites elongatus (Günther 1874) species group (Perciformes: Leiognathidae) with the description of a new species. Ichthyol. Res..64(3):[1-14]339-352. (Ref. 120651)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
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