SCIAENIDAE


Dendrophysa russelli, 11.2 cm SL
(photo by Seishi Kimura)


Dendrophysa russelli
(Cuvier, 1829)
Goatee Croaker

D XI, 25-28; A II, 7; P2 I, 5; LGR 8-10.

Body relatively deep. Mouth inferior; posterior margin of maxilla not extending beyond a vertical through posterior margin of orbit. A pointed barbel on chin. Swimbladder carrot-shaped, with about 14 to 17 pairs of fan-like appendages along its sides; first pair entering head beyond transverse septum. Color: body gray dorsally, white ventrally. A dark brown broad band on nape. Opercle with a deep blue blotch. Spinous portion of dorsal fin faintly edged with black. Size: maximum length 25 cm SL. Distribution: distributed in the eastern Indian Ocean and the western central Pacific Ocean, from the Bay of Bengal east to southern China, the Philippines and eastern Indonesia. Remarks: occurs in coastal waters and estuaries.