Leiognathus equulus, FRLM 29963, 9.9 cm SL
Leiognathus equulus (Forsskål, 1775)
Common ponyfish
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D VII - VIII, 16 - 17 (usually VIII, 16); A III, 13 - 14 (usually III, 14); P1 19 - 22; LL 54 - 68; GR 4 - 7 + 13 - 18. Body extremely deep, compressed, hump-back shaped; dorsal profile more convex than ventral profile. Mouth protruding downwards; profile of lower jaw concave; supraorbital ridge serrated. Second dorsal and anal fin spines slightly elongated, but not filamentous; retrorse spines of dorsal and anal fin pterygio-phores strong and exposed. Cheek, breast, and belly completely naked. Color: body blue-grayish silver dorsally, brilliant silvery-white ventrally; snout with a black blotch; dorsolateral body with 17 - 22 narrow dark vertical lines; dorsal fin dusky; anal fin pale yellow anteriorly; caudal fin yellowish with an indistinct broad dusky margin. Size: maximum length about 30 cm. Distribution: widely distributed in tropical Indo-Pacific, from eastern coast of Africa to Samoa, northward to southern Japan. Remarks: inhabits shallow coastal areas, usually entering into estuaries.
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