Sillago japonica Temminck & Schlegel, 1843
Japanese sillago
Sillago japonica
photo by Shao, K.T.

Family:  Sillaginidae (Smelt-whitings)
Max. size:  30 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 0 - 30 m, non-migratory
Distribution:  Northwest Pacific: Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. Possibly to the Philippines. Commonly misidentified as Sillago sihama.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 12-12; Dorsal soft rays (total): 21-23; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 22-24; Vertebrae: 35-35. Swim bladder with anterior projecting extensions and a single posterior extension. Body is greenish gray above, the dorsal part of the head being the darker, and whitish below. The fins are mostly hyaline; the membrane between the first to the third dorsal fin spines with minute dark brown dots; the margins of the dorsal fin with a few dark brown spots. The caudal fin with dark margins.
Biology:  Occur in bays on shallow sandy flats. Maximum size is over 30 cm (Mark Donachy, pers. comm., 2001). Oviparous (Ref. 205). Greatly esteemed for its delicate flavor (Ref. 6205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 February 2009 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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