Family : Leiognathidae (Slimys, slipmouths, or ponyfishes)
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Shortnose ponyfish
Fish Name : Leiognathus brevirostris
Max size : 13.5 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 3424)
Environment : demersal; amphidromous ; depth range - 40 m
Climate : tropical
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.90-1.75)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: coasts of India and Sri Lanka to China; south to Australia.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-16; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 14-14. Body silvery; live or fresh specimens with a golden gleam. Head naked; with nuchal spine. Protracted mouth pointing downward. Scales minute. 2nd dorsal spine less than 1/3 of body depth.
Biology : Lives in shallow waters down to depths of about 40 m, predominantly near the bottom, found in schools. Feeds mainly on diatoms, copepods, Lucifer, nematodes and polychaetes (Ref. 3424)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Woodland, David J.
Main Ref : Kühlmorgen-Hille, G.. 1974. (Ref. 2108)

India country information
Common Names : काप, Kap, Shortnose ponyfish
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses