Discover Life - Monodactylidae: Monodactylus argenteus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Perciformes
Family Monodactylidae
Genus Monodactylus
Monodactylus argenteus (Linnaeus, 1758)

Provider:

Kwang-Tsao Shao

Synonyms：

Chaetodon argenteus , Monodachtylus argenteus , Monodactylus argentues , Psettus argenteus , Psettus rhombeus , Scomber rhombeus ,

Citation:

臺灣魚類誌(沈等, 1993)；福建魚類誌(朱等, 1985)；The Live Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific, Vol.5(FAO, 2001)

Character:

Body oval, deep, strongly compressed. Eye moderately large. Mouth small and oblique. Jaws with bands of small conical teeth. Gill membranes free from isthmus, separate. Dorsal fin with VII or VIII spines and 26 to 31 soft rays; anterior soft dorsal-fin rays elongated, situated over midlength of body. Anal fin with III spines and 26 to 31 soft rays; anterior soft anal-fin rays elongated, situated below midlength of body, longer than elongated soft dorsal-fin rays. Posterior edge of dorsal and anal fins distinctly concave. Caudal fin slightly emarginate. Pelvic fins rudimentary or absent in adults. Body, head, and unpaired fins covered by small, deciduous scales. Adults bright silver with yellow and dusky dorsal fin tip. Small juveniles more colorful with yellow over most of the dorsal fin and two vertical black bands over the head.

Habitat:

Commonly found in mangrove estuaries, often entering creeks. Sometimes found in silty coastal reefs. Small juveniles solitary or in small aggregations. Can live in freshwater. Feeds on plankton and detritus. Highly territorial.

Distribution:

Widespread in the tropical Indo-West Pacific from Red Sea and East Africa to Samoa, north to the Yaeyamas, south to New Caledonia and Australia. It is a common species in Taiwan except eastern part.

Utility:

Sold fresh in local markets. Juveniles are caught for the aquarium-fish trade.

Name Code:

382162