Large-scale whiting
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 Large-scale whiting
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| Sillago macrolepis Bleeker, 1859 |
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 Range of the Large-scale whiting
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The Large-scale whiting, Sillago macrolepis, is a poorly understood species of coastal marine fish of the smelt- whiting family Sillaginidae. First described in 1859, the Large-scale whiting is known to inhabit shallow waters along the coasts of a number of Indo-Pacific countries including Japan, Indonesia, Philippines and the Solomon Islands. Little is known of the species biology, even though it is of minor importance to fisheries throughout its range.
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[edit] Taxonomy
The Large-scale whiting is one of 29 species in the genus Sillago, which is one of three genera in the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The smelt-whitings are Perciformes in the suborder Percoidea.[1]
The species was first scientifically described by the Dutch ichthyologist Pieter Bleeker in 1859 from a specimen collected from the waters of Batavia in Bali, Indonesia. This specimen was designated to be the holotype.[2]
[edit] Anatomy
As with most of the genus Sillago, the Large-scale whiting has a slightly compressed, elongate body tapering toward the terminal mouth.[3] The body is covered in small ctenoid scales, except for the two rows of cheek scales which are mostly cycloid. The first dorsal fin has 11 spines and the second dorsal fin has 1 leading spine with 19 to 21 soft rays posterior. The anal fin is similar to the second dorsal fin, but has 2 spines with 19 to 21 soft rays posterior to the spines. Other distinguishing features include 51 to 56 lateral line scales and a total of 34 vertebrae. The species has a known maximum length of over 16 cm.[4]
While reviewing the species, McKay only was able to examine the swim bladders of juveniles. He found the juveniles to have well developed swim bladders with no posterior or anterior extensions, but the duct like process well developed.[2]
The fish is a yellowish colour, being darker above with a diffuse silver longitudinal mid-lateral band on the sides. All fins are hyaline in appearance, with the dorsal fins being dusky with a narrow blackish margin. Juveniles have a series of small brown spots along their back at the base of the dorsal fins.[2]
[edit] Range and habitat
The Large-scale whiting has been recorded from Japan,[5] the Indonesian Archipelago, New Britain, Solomon Islands and the Philippines A 1980 report from India by Dutt and Sajutha is in error and was the first recording of the then undescribed species, Sillago lutea.[4]
The species enters estuaries and may penetrate freshwater rivers, at least as juveniles. Large-scale whiting are only found in relatively shallow water of 0 to 5 m in depth.
[edit] Importance to humans
Although the species is of minor importance at present, it is often caught in trawls and seines, being of slight importance to local fisheries throughout its range.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Sillago macrolepis (TSN 646047). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved on 05 September 2007.
- ^ a b c McKay, R.J. (1985). "A Revision of the Fishes of the Family Silaginidae". Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 22 (1): 1–73.
- ^ "Sillago macrolepis". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. Aug 2007 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2007.
- ^ a b c McKay, R.J. (1992). FAO Species Catalogue: Vol. 14. Sillaginid Fishes Of The World. Rome: Food and Agricultural Organisation, 19-20. ISBN 92-5-103123-1.
- ^ Suzuki, Toshiyuki (2001). "First record of the sillaginid fish, Sillago macrolepis from Japan". I.O.P. Diving News 12 (2): 2.
