Scientific Name
Leiognathus aureus

Common Name
Golden ponyfish

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 14; Vertebrae: 24. Mouth protruding forward, not downward; teeth small, slender, pointed, uniserial on jaws; membrane between jaws and cheeks densely pigmented, with a black line between anteroventral margin of eye and the lower articulation when mouth closed; lateral line incomplete, ending below base of 12th to 16th dorsal fin soft ray; body rather slender, 31-45% SL; posterior limb of maxilla short, 15-23% HL; anteroventral profile of lower jaw straight or slightly convex; no large blotch on nape or below base of dorsal fin spines (Ref. 49864). Silvery upper half with irregular grey-brown blotch and marbling (Ref. 47581).

Classification

Classified By

Abe & Haneda, 1972

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Slimys, slipmouths or ponyfishes (Leiognathidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Pacific

Distribution

Western Pacific: Taiwan to Indonesia; also known from the Gulf of Thailand, Timor Sea and the Arafura Sea.

Range

Unknown

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

70 m

Depth To - meters

140 m

Zone

demersal

Environment

Marine; brackish; demersal; depth range 70 - 140 m (Ref. 47581)

Trophic Level

3.19 s.e. 0.38 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

10.0 cm

Common Length

6.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5001 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Unknown

Vulnerability

Low vulnerability (10 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated