GERREIDAE Gerres oblongus, 16.4 cm SL (photo by Seishi Kimura) Gerres oblongus Cuvier, 1830 Slender Silverbiddy D IX,10; A III,7; P1 16-17; LL 47-49; GR 5-7 + 7-9. Body compressed, relatively elongated and slender; anterodorsal profile slightly convex. Second dorsal fin spine slightly elongated but not filamentous; pectoral fins long, reaching to anal-fin origin; caudal fin long, deeply forked. Five to six scales between 5th dorsal fin spine base and lateral line. Color: body bluish silver dorsally, brilliant silver ventrally, often with irregular dark vertical bars in juveniles; anal and pelvic fins sometimes yellowish. Size: maximum length about 40 cm. Distribution: widely distributed in tropical Indo-Pacific, from eastern coast of Africa to Tonga and Fiji. Remarks: inhabits sandy or muddy bottoms and coral reefs. Marketed fresh or dried. (Seishi Kimura)