Scartelaos tenuis (Day, 1876)
Indian Ocean slender mudskipper
Scartelaos tenuis
photo by Pope, M.

Family:  Oxudercidae (Mudskippers), subfamily: Periophthalminae
Max. size:  15.5 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine
Distribution:  Western Indian Ocean: Persian Gulf to Pakistan.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 6-6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 23-28; Anal spines: 0-0; Anal soft rays: 24-27. Distinguished by the following characteristics: no barbel on ventral midline near symphysis of lower jaw; upper jaw teeth 31-37; head depth 9.5-10.8% SL ; caudal fin length 21.7-26.3% SL ; length of Dl base 5.6-8.3%SL; 15-18 vertical, brown bars on trunk; large, black spots basally on posterior half of second dorsal fin; D2 and anal fins not connected by membrane to caudal fin (Ref. 5218).
Biology:  An amphibious air-breather (Ref. 31184) found on mud flats (Ref. 11441).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 20 June 2017 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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