Secutor insidiator (Bloch, 1787)

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 : 14-15

13. Secutor insidiator (Bloch, 1787)

(Plate II, Fig. 5; Tables 1 –2)

Zeus insidiator Bloch 1787 , Ausl. Fische, 3: 41, pl. 192, fig.2–3.

Material examined. 30 specimens (14 females, 12 males, 4 indeterminates) of 47–106 mm TL ( Cochin, Neendakara ) .

Description. D.VIII, 16; P. ii, 13–15, i–iii; V. I, 5; A. III, 14; C. 15.

As percent of standard length: Total length 127.94–134.48 (131.96); fork length 111.54–117.14 (113.89); predorsal 35.71–38.89 (37.03); preanal 42.50–46.91 (45.25); dorsal base 52.78–58.93 (56.30); anal base 46.05–51.43 (48.07); head 26.23–28.57 (27.24); dorsal height 13.89–18.18 (16.39); anal height 8.75–12.50 (10.86); pectoral 19.44–23.08 (21.48); depth 41.67–50.72 (47.48).

As percent of head length: Snout 20.00–28.57 (25.04); eye 29.41–40.00 (33.59); head height 110.00–122.73 (117.62).

Body oval, deep, elongated and compressed. Dorsal profile less convex than the ventral profile and the dorsal profile strongly concave in the occipital region. Snout pointed. Mouth small and oblique, when protracted forms a tube directed upwards. Gape of mouth opposite about middle of eye. Mouth small, lips broad and thin. Lower lip broader and smaller than the upper lip, which is like a loop over the lower. When mouth is closed, the mandible is almost vertical. Lower margin of the mandible slightly concave. Teeth minute, numerous and villiform. One small spine on head, immediately above the eye and opposite its front border. Lateral line shows a slight concavity at first, later running less convex to the dorsal profile extending posteriorly almost to the base of the caudal. Ventrals with axillary scales, their tips reaching only halfway to the origin of the anals. Caudal fin deeply forked. Ventrolateral lobes of light organ hypertrophied.

Color. Silvery, back with about ten or so black, vertical bands, formed of patches, from behind head to end of soft dorsal, laterally extending to a little below the lateral line. Abdomen with black pigment spots. Spinous dorsal fin with the membranes between the second to the sixth spines black at the upper one third portion. A black curved band from the lower margin of the eye to the posterior angle of the lower jaw. Inner side of pectoral base dotted black. Caudal fin yellowish and posterior margin of the lobes are dusky.

Distribution. Along Mangalore, Cochin, Quilon, Mandapam, Madras, Visakhapatnam and Kakinada. It forms the dominant fishery at Mangalore and contributes heavily at Madras, Kakinada and Cochin.