Belanger'S Croaker

Amphidromous. Refers to fishes that regularly migrate between freshwater and the sea (in both directions), but not for the purpose of breeding, as in anadromous and catadromous species. Sub-division of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.Characteristic elements in amphidromy are: reproduction in fresh water, passage to sea by newly hatched larvae, a period of feeding and growing at sea usually a few months long, return to fresh water of well-grown juveniles, a further period of feeding and growing in fresh water, followed by reproduction there (Ref. 82692).

Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 27 - 31; Analspines: 2; Analsoft rays: 7

Inhabits coastal waters and estuaries (Ref. 2872). Juveniles and/or adults are found in far inshore waters (Ref. 121464). Feeds on invertebrates, particularly benthic worms (Ref. 2872).

Inhabits coastal waters and estuaries. Feeds on invertebrates, particularly benthic worms. Marketed fresh and dried salted.

fisheries: minor commercial; price category: medium; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family

分布於印度-西太平洋區，西起巴基斯坦東部，東至中國沿海、台灣、日本及韓國等。台灣北部及西部沿海較多。

是台灣拖網漁業之重要漁獲物之一，經濟價值高，終年可用底拖網捕獲，在水暖花開的春、夏季是盛產的高峰期。肉質佳，糖醋、清蒸皆宜，為了保存的方便，市面上也有曬乾的魚出售。

體延長，側扁。吻圓突；口裂小，下位，近水平，上頜長於下頜，上頜骨後緣達瞳孔中央下方；上頜齒最外列齒大，齒數稀疏，其餘內列齒5-6列，均細小；下頜齒細小呈絨毛狀，內外列同大；吻緣孔5個，中央孔呈三角型，內、外側緣孔沿吻緣葉側裂，吻緣葉凹入成5片狀； 吻上孔5個，中央3孔圓而大，呈弧形排列，左右各有一外側孔，孔小且向中央側裂；頦孔為似5孔型呈弧形排列，中央頦孔隔成2孔，內側頦孔為長裂型，外側頦孔大呈三角型。 眼眶下緣距前上頜骨水平線有一鱗片寬。鼻孔2個，圓形，後鼻孔較大。前鰓蓋具鋸齒緣，鰓蓋具2扁棘；具擬鰓；鰓耙短小，最長鰓耙只有鰓絲的1/3。除吻端、頰部及喉部為圓鱗，餘皆被櫛鱗；背鰭軟條部、臀鰭及尾鰭布滿小圓鱗。耳石為叫姑魚型，印跡頭區半圓形，尾端擴大為圓錐形。背、腹鰭基起點約相對；胸鰭基上緣點在背腹鰭起點前，鰓蓋末緣下方；尾部楔形；腹腔膜灰褐色，胃為卜字形，幽門垂6個，腸為2次迴繞型，鰾為叫姑魚型，前端呈左右突球狀，附枝14-15對，第一對伸入頭區。體側上半部灰褐色，體背在背鰭基下方具5-6黑斑，下半部淺灰褐色，有銀白亮光；背鰭褐色，末緣黑色；腹、臀鰭上半部黃褐色，下半部黑色；尾鰭前半部黃褐色，後半部黑色；胸鰭淺褐色，鰭基內緣有褐色腋斑；鰓蓋青紫色，在2扁棘間有一暗斑；鰓腔黑褐色；口腔白色。

主要棲息於沿岸砂泥底質水域，大多棲息於淺水域，水深約在1-40公尺之間，會進入河口區。一般在底層活動覓食，肉食性，以底棲生物為食。夜行性。鰾能發聲，尤其在生殖期間，聲音特別響，發出喀喀聲，有如蛙鳴。