Karalla daura (Cuvier, 1829)

Abraham, K. J., Joshi, K. K. & Murty, V. S. R., 2011, Taxonomy of the fishes of the family Leiognathidae (Pisces, Teleostei) from the West coast of India, Zootaxa 2886 (1), pp. 1-18 : 9-10

6. Karalla daura (Cuvier, 1829)

(Plate I, Fig. 6; Tables 1–3)

Equula daura Cuvier, 1829 , Regne Anim.,2: 212.

Material examined. 10 specimens (2 females, 3 males, 5 indeterminates) of 56–136 mm TL ( Cochin, Neendakara ) .

Description. D.VIII, 16; P. ii, 14–16, i–iii; V. I, 5; A. III, 14; C. 15; Ll. 64–69.

As percent of standard length: Total length 130.23–135.63 (133.54); fork length 113.46–116.67 (114.68) predorsal 37.04–40.59 (38.89); preanal 47.92–54.46 (50.66); dorsal base 52.08–55.00 (53.45); anal base 39.60–45.83 (42.62); head 26.79–30.77 (28.70); dorsal height 18.60–25.29 (20.97); anal height 13.86–17.24 (15.03); pectoral 16.28–19.80 (18.18); depth 37.21–47.52 (42.33).

As percent of head length: Snout 25.00–31.25 (28.60); eye 30.77–39.13 (34.22); head height 78.57–88.0 (83.18).

Body elongated and compressed. Dorsal and ventral profiles equally convex. Occipital region with a concavity and the dorsal profile rises from this region to the spinous dorsal. Snout blunt. Mouth small with thick broad lips and pointing downwards when protracted. Commencement of gape of mouth opposite lower one third of the eye. Inferior margin of the lower jaw slightly concave. Pre-opercle with its lower margin finely serrate. Teeth small and numerous, on both the jaws. Two small spines on top of the head, opposite the front border of the eye, the outer one more prominent than the inner which is opposite the ridge bounding the interorbital space. First part of the lateral line with a concavity, later running less convex than the dorsal profile, extending posteriorly to the base of the caudal fin. Ventrals with a strong spine and a large axillary scale and do not reach the anal fin. Caudal forked.

Color. Abdomen silvery and back gray. Black dots all over the ventral half of the body. Tip of snout black. Inner side of pectoral base gray. A deep black blotch on the upper half of the spinous dorsal, extending from the posterior margin of the second dorsal spine to the anterior margin of the sixth dorsal spine. A broad yellow band over the lateral line from the posterior margin of the eye to the caudal base, distinct in fresh specimens, but disappearing gradually on keeping in formalin. Anal fin golden yellow from the second spine onwards along the distal half of the fin. A black line running along the base of the soft dorsal.

Distribution. Along Goa, Cochin and Quilon along the west coast of India and Palk Bay, Gulf of Mannar, Chilka lake, Kakinada and Porto Novo along the east coast.