Indian ilisha (Ilisha melastoma)

Scientific name: Ilisha melastoma Bloch & Schneider, 1801

Indian ilisha (Ilisha melastoma)

The Indian ilisha (Ilisha melastoma) is a brackish-water fish of the family Pristigasteridae.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 35 - 48. Belly with usually 17 to 21 + 8 or 9, total 25 to 30 scutes. Eye large, lower jaw projecting. Dorsal fin origin a little before midpoint of body; anal fin origin under hind part of dorsal fin base. Vertical striae on scales traversing whole scale or overlapping across center of scale. Swim bladder with two tubes passing back in the muscles on either side of haemal spines.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Ilisha melastoma
Family
Pristigasteridae (Pristigasterids)
Order
Clupeiformes (Herrings)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
17.0
Depth range
0–50 m (0–164 ft)
Environment
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic; amphidromous; depth range 0 - 50 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-Pacific: Indian Ocean (Malabar coast to Calcutta), Java Sea (off Java), Arafura Sea, South China Sea (Singapore, Gulf of Thailand), East China Sea (north to Taiwan Island).
Conservation status (IUCN)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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