Brief Summary
provided by EOL authors
The Moonfish (Mene maculata) is the only extant member of the genus Mene and of the family Menidae. The body is highly compressed laterally and very deep vertically. The ventral profle is steep, with a sharp ventral edge. The caudal (tail) fin is deeply forked. The mouth is small and protrusible. The body is silvery below and blue-green on the back, with three to four rows of dark gray spots on the upper side. The first two rays of the pelvic fin are greatly elongated, forming a prominent backward-pointing process on the underside of the fish. Moonfish may approach 30 cm in length. They are not common, but are wide-ranging in the Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf, and in the western Pacific occur from Queensland (Australia) to Japan. (Randall 1995)
Diagnostic Description
provided by Fishbase
This species is distinguished by its very deep body, almost triangular, extremely compressed; sharp-edged breast; greatest body depth below lateral line at least 4 times greater than greatest body depth above lateral line; anal fin very long-based, commencing at point of insertion of pelvic fins, uniformly very low; dorsal spines (X in juveniles) reducing in number with increasing age. Colour of body with upper sides deep metallic blue, the rest silvery, a row of round to ovoid, dark slaty-blue spots above and below lateral line, sometimes a few additional spots above and below these rows; pelvic fins with a trace of blue, other fins hyaline or slightly dusky (Ref. 47690).
- Recorder
- Cristina V. Garilao
Diseases and Parasites
provided by Fishbase
Anisakis Disease (juvenile). Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)
Morphology
provided by Fishbase
Dorsal spines (total): 3 - 4; Dorsal soft rays (total): 40 - 45; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 30 - 33
- Recorder
- Cristina V. Garilao
Trophic Strategy
provided by Fishbase
Occurs in coastal waters, but may enter estuaries (Ref. 75154).
Biology
provided by Fishbase
Inhabits deeper coastal waters near the bottom on both the continental shelves and around major island groups; sometimes in river estuaries (Ref. 47690, 48635). Found in schools (Ref. 47690, 48635). Feeds on benthic invertebrates (Ref. 5213). Readily dries in air without salting (Ref. 4375, 48635). Caught in trawls and by beach seine, but mainly by trawling, often incidentally. Marketed fresh and dried (Ref. 47690). Minimum depth from Ref. 30573.
Importance
provided by Fishbase
fisheries: commercial
分布
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
分布於印度-西太平洋熱帶及亞熱帶海域。台灣北部、西部、南部及澎湖海域均有分布。
利用
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
全年皆有產。西南部9月至翌年4月；琉球嶼10～11月；東北部3～6月；澎湖4～8月。可食用，肉少但味美。可由沿岸之定置網所捕獲，另外巾著網，拖網亦常大量捕獲。可當近海延繩釣之活餌，或製成魚粉。
描述
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
體高而特別側扁，體輻近三角形，背部較平直而腹部彎度特別大，腹緣薄而銳利。上頜骨末端僅延伸至眼前下方。體具極小的鱗片，肉眼不易看見；頭小，枕骨區高；口裂小，近呈垂直，能伸縮，向上傾斜如管狀；鰓裂大，鰓膜互不相連，且與峽部游離。頭、胸鰭及尾鰭均在身體的上半部。背鰭單一，不具硬棘，前方鰭條較長且不分叉；臀鰭亦不具硬棘，且軟條被包在皮下，僅外端外露；腹鰭長，位於腹緣，成魚第一鰭條延長為絲狀；尾鰭深分叉。體呈銀白色，背部偏藍，上有許多藍色點散佈。各鰭色淡。
棲地
provided by The Fish Database of Taiwan
主要棲息於較深的水域，有時會游到沿岸水域覓食，甚至發現於河口區。屬肉食性魚類，以動物性浮游生物或底棲生物為食。喜追逐發亮的東西，有趨光性。
Mene maculata
provided by wikipedia EN
Mene maculata, the moonfish, is the only extant member of the genus Mene and of the family Menidae. The body is highly compressed laterally and very deep vertically. The ventral profile is steep, with a sharp ventral edge. The caudal (tail) fin is deeply forked. The mouth is small and protrusible. The body is silvery below and blue-green on the back, with three to four rows of dark gray spots on the upper side. The first two rays of the pelvic fin are greatly elongated, forming a prominent backward-pointing process on the underside of the fish.
The moonfish is native to the Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, and in the western Pacific where they can be found near the bottom in brackish and marine waters in the vicinity of reefs. They occur at depths of from 50 to 200 metres (160 to 660 ft). This species can reach a length of 30 centimetres (12 in) TL. It is a commercially important species, being easy to dry without having to be salted.[1]
See also
References
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- cc-by-sa-3.0
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- Wikipedia authors and editors
Mene maculata: Brief Summary
provided by wikipedia EN
Mene maculata, the moonfish, is the only extant member of the genus Mene and of the family Menidae. The body is highly compressed laterally and very deep vertically. The ventral profile is steep, with a sharp ventral edge. The caudal (tail) fin is deeply forked. The mouth is small and protrusible. The body is silvery below and blue-green on the back, with three to four rows of dark gray spots on the upper side. The first two rays of the pelvic fin are greatly elongated, forming a prominent backward-pointing process on the underside of the fish.
The moonfish is native to the Indian Ocean, including the Red Sea and Persian Gulf, and in the western Pacific where they can be found near the bottom in brackish and marine waters in the vicinity of reefs. They occur at depths of from 50 to 200 metres (160 to 660 ft). This species can reach a length of 30 centimetres (12 in) TL. It is a commercially important species, being easy to dry without having to be salted.
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- cc-by-sa-3.0
- copyright
- Wikipedia authors and editors
Description
provided by World Register of Marine Species
Solitary species which inhabits coastal waters including estuaries. Feeds on benthic invertebrates (Ref. 5213).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly (Editors). (2023). FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. version (02/2023).
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- WoRMS Editorial Board
