Marine Life

African pompano

Naruvaa handhi

Alectis ciliaris

The similar A. indicus also occurs in the Indian Ocean, and is distinct from Alectis ciliaris due to its angular forehead, more gill rakers on the lower limb of the first gill arch (21-26 excluding rudiment), and its silver coloration with a green tinge dorsally.

Details

§ 01

size: Max. 1.3 m
color: Silvery, with touch of metallic blue dorsally. Juveniles with 5 dark bars on body.
order: Perciformes
family: Carangidae
image url: https://assets.explore.mv/fishes/alectis-ciliaris.png
habitat and biology: As adults, this species is usually found alone in coastal waters at depths up to 100 meters. Young individuals are typically pelagic and drift with the currents. They primarily feed on sedentary crustaceans, which are animals with hard exoskeletons that live in one place and do not move around much.
distinctive characters: The dorsal fin has seven short spines, which are invisible in larger specimens, followed by one spine and eighteen to twenty-two rays. The anal fin has two spines, which are embedded in larger specimens, followed by one spine and eighteen to twenty rays. The lower limb of the first gill arch has twelve to seventeen gill rakers, excluding rudiments. The anterior rays are long and filamentous in juveniles, and the body is deep and compressed with a rounded forehead.