Scientific Name
Eleutheronema tetradactylum

Common Name
Fourfinger threadfin

Biology
Occur mainly over shallow muddy bottoms in coastal waters. Also enter rivers (Ref. 3479, 6390, 11230). Juveniles found in estuaries. During winter, adults ascend the rivers. They usually form loose schools, although larger fish are more often observed in pairs or singly (Ref. 6390). Feed on prawns and fish (largely members of Mugilidae, Engraulidae, and Sciaenidae) with occasional polychaetes. Frequency of crustaceans to fish in the diet varies seasonally. Larvae (7-30 mm TL) feed mainly on copepods and mysids but also take shrimps and prawn larvae (Ref. 57343). Juveniles (31-60 TL) feed on prawns shrimps and mysids (Ref. 57343). Protandrous hermaphrodites. Marketed fresh, frozen, and dried or salted.

Classification

Classified By

Shaw, 1804

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Threadfins (Polynemidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-West Pacific

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: Persian Gulf to Papua New Guinea and northern Australia. Replaced by Eleutheronema rhadinum (Jordan & Evermann, 1902), in East Asia (Japan, China, Viet Nam).

Range

32°N - 26°S, 47°E - 154°E

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

23 m

Zone

pelagic-neritic

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; pelagic-neritic; amphidromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 23 m (Ref. 6390)

Trophic Level

4.35 s.e. 0.77 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

200 cm

Common Length

50.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.6250 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (69 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Fec=680,000; assuming tm>=2)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated