Family : Leiognathidae (Slimys, slipmouths, or ponyfishes)
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Toothpony
Fish Name : Gazza minuta
Max size : 21.0 cm FL (male/unsexed; Ref. 5525)
Environment : demersal ; depth range 10 - 110 m
Climate : tropical; 26 - 29°C
Global Importance : fisheries: commercial
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.70-1.30)Distribution : Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and the east African coast (30° to about 50°S) to Australia and Tahiti, north to the Ryukyu Islands (Ref. 27956).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-16; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 14-14. Body silvery; anterior part of anal fin yellow; dorsal, pectoral and pelvic fins colorless. Scales minute. Head and breast scaleless. Nuchal spine on nape. Mouth pointing forward when protracted.
Biology : Found in coastal waters (Ref. 30573). Young enter estuaries (Ref. 4833). Searches for prey using a protruding pipette-like mouth or by sieving potential food through their gill rakers (Ref. 26569). Feeds on small fishes, shrimps, other crustaceans, and polychaetes. Sold fresh and dried salted; also made into fishmeal
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator : Woodland, David J.
Main Ref : James, P.S.B.R.. 1984. (Ref. 3424)

India country information
Common Names : Toothpony, काप, മോഡ മുള്ളന്, காரை, കരല്, കരള്, காரல், பஸ்னி பாரை, நாமக் காரல், பாசனீ பாரே , கூட்டு காரா, മുള്ളന്, காரைபொடி, களிகாரல், கூட்டுக் காரை, நாமாகாரல், சுதுப்புனம் காரை, சுடுப்புனம்  காரல், காளீக்காரல் , காரைபொடீ , ಕುರಿಚಿ , ಗುರುಕು , காரல் , காரை , కారా , కొమా కారా, Guruku, Kaaral, Kalikaral, Kap, Karah, Karai, Karaipodi, Karal, Komah-karah, Kotoo-kara, Kurichi, Moda mullan, Mullan, Namakaral, Pasni-pare, Silver bellies, Siver bellies, Sudupunam karal, Toothed ponyfish
Status : native
Salinity : brackish, marine
Uses : no uses