LEIOGNATHIDAE


Photopectoralis bindus, 7.0 cm SL
(photo by Seishi Kimura)


Photopectoralis bindus
(Valenciennes, 1835)
Orangefin Ponyfish

D VIII, 15-16 (usually 16); A III, 14; P1 15-19; LL 51-88; GR 4-7 + 16-20 = 21-27; V 10+14.

Body rounded, disk-like, strongly compressed; ventral profile similarly convex as, or more strongly convex than ventral profile. Mouth protruding forwards, with small conical teeth in a single row on both jaws; ventral profile of lower jaw almost straight or slightly concave. Cheek naked; breast almost completely scaled laterally with narrow naked area ventrally. Color: body brownish silver dorsally, brilliant silverywhite ventrally; irregular oblique dark lines and/or dark vermiculation dorsolaterally on body; spinous portion of dorsal fin dark orange to yellow distally, anterior anal fin yellowish distally. Size: maximum length about 10 cm SL. Distribution: widely distributed in Indo-West Pacific, from Red Sea to New Caledonia, north to southern Japan. Remarks: usually found in muddy bottoms of coastal inshore waters. Marketed fresh or dried.