| Family: |
Sciaenidae (Drums or croakers) |
| Max. size: |
60 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 1 - 40 m, amphidromous |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: coasts of India and Sri Lanka eastwards extending to Queensland, Australia and New Guinea and north to Viet Nam (Ref. 3490). Found in the lower Mekong basin (Ref. 36667). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 10-11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27-33; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 7-7. Snout rounded, but not swollen or projecting; upper jaw length 38-44 % of head length, lower jaw length 44-53 % of head length. First pair of mental pores close together, united by a crescent-shaped groove just behind symphysis. Teeth differentiated into large and small in both jaws. Second anal spine long, stiff, 39-59 % of head length. From 8 to 13 scale rows above lateral line to origin of dorsal fin, 12-17 scale rows below lateral line to origin of anal fin (total 21-29 scale rows). Swim bladder carrot-shaped, with 18-22 pairs of arborescent appendages along its sides, the first pair entering head beyond transverse septum. Sagitta (large earstone) with a tadpole-shaped impression, the tail of which is J-shaped. |
| Biology: |
Inhabits shallow coastal waters and estuaries (Ref. 9772). Juveniles occur in brackish estuaries and often ascend the lower reaches of large, turbid rivers (Ref. 2847). Found in the basin-wide mainstream of the lower Mekong (Ref. 36667). Encountered in medium to large-sized rivers both in the lower and middle Mekong (Ref. 12975). Feeds on small fishes and invertebrates. Marketed fresh as well as dried salted. |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 29 June 2016 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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