Herklotsichthys quadrimaculatus (Rüppell, 1837)
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16 - 23; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 15 - 21. Diagnosis: Body slender, its depth 18 to 30% of standard length; presence of two fleshy outgrowths on the hind margin of the gill opening; sharp belly with keeled scutes, 16-19 pre-pelvic and 12-14 post-pelvic scutes (Ref. 188, 3259). The presence of elongate wing-like scales underneath the normal paired pre-dorsal scales separate it from all other species except the two Australian species with prominent black spots on the flank, Herklotsichthys koningsbergeri and Herklotsichthys Species A, and the unspotted Herklotsichthys Species B, which has dusky tips to dorsal and caudal fins and more lower gill rakers, 36-42 vs. 33-36 in H. quadrimaculatus (Ref. 188). Flank silvery with an electric blue line preceded by two orange spots (Ref. 188).
Common Names
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Teleostei
Order: Clupeiformes
Family: Dorosomatidae
Genus: Herklotsichthys
Species: Herklotsichthys quadrimaculatus (Rüppell, 1837)
Climate Zone
Location
Biology
Adults form schools near mangroves, shallow coastal bays and lagoons during the day and moves further offshore into deeper water by night (Ref. 188, 48635); at depths of 0-13m (Ref. 58302, 82332). Known in mills around in large schools under wharves or along sandy beaches in protected bays (Ref. 26367). Pelagic (Ref. 58302). Feeds on zooplankton, mainly at night, chiefly copepods in juvenile stages, but larger prey as adults (chaetognaths, polychaetes, shrimps and small fishes) (Ref. 188). Breeds during its first year and probably survives only a few months after maturity (Ref. 188). Marketed fresh and dried salted (Ref. 188). Usually parceled in leaves and baked in a motu oven. Do not recover quite as quickly as other species of baitfish after heavy fishing (Ref. 26367).
Habitat
freshwater