ALBULIDAE

Bonefishes
By Yukio Iwatsuki




Albula oligolepis

Medium to large-sized fishes (up to 80 cm) with slender, subcylindrical body. Body moderately elongate, fusiform. Mouth small, inferior; hind tip of upper jaw not extending front margin of eye; gular plate absent; branchiostegal rays 6-16; gill rakers rudimentary; adipose tissue present. Fins without spine; dorsal-fin origin at about midportion of the body; anal fin located well behind dorsal fin; pectoral fins low on side of body, near ventral outline; pelvic fins abdominal, located under posterior part of dorsal fin; pelvic axillary scale well developed; caudal fin deeply forked. Scales cycloid; lateral line present; scales small, about 60-80 pored lateral line scales. Intermuscular bones present. Color: body silvery on sides with bluish green reflection dorsally, and whitish on belly, sometimes with several faint somewhat saddle blotches of darker color; some species having faint yellowish color axill of pectoral and pelvic fins; some species with several faint narrow, longitidinal lines.

Similar families occurring in the area. Elopidae: mouth terminal; gular plate well developed; branchiostegal rays 27-35; upper jaw extending beyond mid-eye. Megalopidae: mouth supraterminal; gular plate well developed; branchiostegal rays 23-27; upper jaw extending beyond mid-eye; scales larger. Sillaginidae: two dorsal fins, first with IX-XII spines; analfin base long with II spines and 15-27 soft rays.

Remarks. Occurring usually in shallow coastal waters on sandy or muddy bottoms, the area not affected by fresh water. Small group often observed in shallow clear waters while foraging. Young collected from offshore and a renowned sport fish by various lures, and excellent quality in flesh but with the numerous small bones.