Rastrelliger kanagurta appears to occur irregularly in the central and southern Maldives, but it is more frequent in the northern Maldives, especially during the northeast monsoon.
Details
§ 01
size
Max. 35 cm
color
Back blue-green, sides silver with golden tint, narrow dark longitudinal bands on upper part of body (golden in fresh specimens). A black spot on body near lower margin of pectoral fin.
This species is pelagic, meaning it is found in open waters rather than close to the bottom. It is commonly observed in large schools and feeds on phytoplankton as juveniles and macroplankton, such as larval shrimp and fish, as adults. It is typically found in coastal waters.
distinctive characters
The dorsal fins are well separated, with the first being triangular with 8-11 spines, followed by the second dorsal and anal fins and then 5 finlets. The pectoral fin is short, with 19-20 rays, and the body is moderately deep, with its depth at the margin of the gill cover being 4.3-5.2 in fork length. The gillrakers are very long and visible when the mouth is open.