Japanese Smelt

Vomer T-shaped with well-developed posterior process; periphery of glossohyal bone with single row of conical teeth, central part toothless; gill rakers 10(7-11) + 23(20-25) = 32(29-36); pyloric caeca 4(1-6); base of adipose fin less then 20% of head length; eye large; adipose eyelid absent.

Anadromous. Fish that ascend rivers to spawn, as salmon and hilsa do. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 10; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 12 - 19; Vertebrae: 53 - 57

Small planktivorous fish.

Found in open water of impoundments and their tributaries, in fresh and brackish water. Primarily a brackish water species (Ref.33312). Anadromous (Ref. 37812).

fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial