TaiBNET

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Perciformes
Family Terapontidae
Genus Mesopristes
Mesopristes argenteus (Cuvier, 1829)

Provider:

Kwang-Tsao Shao

Synonyms：

Datnia argentea, Mesopristes iravi, Mesopristes macracanthus, Therapon acutirostris, Therapon argenteus, Therapon chalybaeus, Therapon nasutus

Citation:

臺灣淡水及河口魚類誌(陳及方, 1999)(1999)

Character:

Body moderately deep, distinctly compressed laterally, ventral profile of head and body nearly straight to anus, more so in adults. Upper jaw longer than lower. Teeth villiform, in bands in each jaw, outer row of teeth distinctly enlarged; vomer and palatines toothless. Preopercle serrate. First gill arch with 7 to 9 gill rakers on upper limb, 16 to 18 on lower limb. Dorsal fin with XII spines and 10 or 11 soft rays; anal fin with III spines and 8 or 9 soft rays. Pored scales in lateral line 52 to 58. Grey on dorsal portions, silvery to silvery white on ventral part; juveniles with 5 longitudinal body stripes; coloration in adults uniform; spinous and soft portions of dorsal fin slightly dusky with blackish pigmentation sometimes present distally, but lacking large black blotch on middle rays; caudal fin dusky, without distinct, dark, oblique stripes.

Habitat:

Inhabits inshore areas near mangroves. Occurs in lentic and lotic freshwater. Juveniles commonly found in the lower sections of creeks and may penetrate several kilometers into fresh water. Omnivore.

Distribution:

Distributed in the Western Pacific from Yaeyama Islands, Japan south to Queensland, Australia and east to New Caledonia. It is very rare and only found in the rivers of eastern Taiwan.

Utility:

Food fish; marketed fresh.

Name Code:

382656

IUCN Red List:LC

Marine