Spretelloides delicatulus is widely used as bait for pole and line tuna fishing in the Maldives, although it appears to be much more common in the south of the country than in the center and north.
Details
§ 01
size
Max. 7 cm
color
Dark bluish on back, sides and belly silvery. Fins hyaline.
Typically found in pelagic and inshore waters, large schools of fish can be seen within the atolls.
distinctive characters
The fish has a dorsal fin with 11-13 rays, an anal fin with 10 or 11 rays, and a pectoral fin with 11-13 rays. Its body is slender and subcylindrical, with the pectoral fin being shorter than the snout and eye combined. The dorsal fin is located at the mid body of the fish, while the pelvic fin is below the base of the dorsal fin and the anal fin is near the caudal. The body is covered with thin, delicate scales and has a smooth belly.