Common Ponyfish, Leiognathus equulus (Forsskal, 1775)
Click to enlarge image
© Australian Museum
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Leiognathus
- Species
- equulus
- Family
- Leiognathidae
- Order
- Perciformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- The species grows to 25 cm in length.
Introduction
It occurs in the Indo-West Pacific in estuarine and coastal waters. It is also known from muddy river mouths and sometimes ascends into freshwaters.
Identification
The Common Ponyfish is silvery with a brown saddle on the caudal peduncle. It has faint bars on the back and sometimes a dark blotch on the forehead. The anal fin is yellowish.
Like all species in the genus Leiognathus, the Common Ponyfish can extend its mouth into a downward pointing tube.
Habitat
It occurs in estuarine and coastal waters. It is also known from muddy river mouths and sometimes ascends into freshwaters.
Distribution
It occurs in the Indo-West Pacific.
In Australia it is known from off north-western Western Australia, around the tropical north and south to southern Queensland.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
References
- Gloerfelt-Tarp, T & P.J. Kailola. 1984. Trawled Fishes of southern Indonesia and north-western Australia. Jakarta: Directorate General of Fisheries (Indonesia), German Agency for Technical Cooperation, Australian Development Assistance Bureau. Pp. 406.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
