POLYNEMIDAE Polydactylus plebeius, 15.0 cm SL (from Mie Pref., Japan; photo by Seishi Kimura) Polydactylus plebeius (Broussonet, 1782) Striped Threadfin D VIII+I, 12-13, 9; A III, 11-12; P1 16-18+5 filaments; P2 I, 5; LLp 60-68; GR 24-32. Body moderately elongate, compressed. Posterior margin of maxilla reaching to or extending slightly beyond a vertical through posterior margin of adipose eyelid. Upper jaw length 6.3-7.7 in SL. Lip on lower jaw well-developed, dentary teeth restricted to dorsal surface; teeth villiform in broad bands on vomer, palatines and ectopterygoids. Longest pectoral filament reaching to or extending beyond posterior tip of pelvic fin. Swimbladder present. Color: head and upper sides of trunk tinged slightly blackishsilver, becoming lighter silver on lower sides. First and second dorsal fins and caudal fin pale with blackish posterior margins. Pectoral-fin membrane blackish; pectoral filaments white. Seven or 8 prominent longitudinal dark stripes along scale rows above lateral line, 7 to 9 faint stripes below. Size: maximum length 45 cm SL. Distribution: widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific, from South Africa east to Polynesia, but no records from the Red Sea, Persian Gulf or Hawaiian Islands. Remarks: occurs along shallow, sandy or muddy coastal beaches to relatively deep waters (less than 122 m), as well as in estuaries.