Nuchequula mannusella Chakrabarty and Sparks, 2007

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 : 5

2. Nuchequula mannusella Chakrabarty and Sparks, 2007

(Plate I, Fig. 2; Tables 1–3)

Equula brevirostris Valenciennes in Cuvier and Valenciennes, 1835, Hist. Nat. poiss., 10:83.

Material examined. 30 specimens (14 females, 13 males, 3 indeterminates) of 82–114mm TL ( Cochin, Neendakara ) .

Description. D.VIII, 16–17; P. ii, 13–15, i – iii; V. I, 5; A. III – 14; C. 15; Ll. 52–64.

As percent of standard length: Total length 131.82–137.31 (134.97); fork length 114.06–118.46 (115.81); predorsal 35.53–40.48 (37.66); preanal 47.69–52.38 (49.95); dorsal base 40.63–57.97 (55.47); anal base 38.81– 45.21 (43.42); head 29.85–33.33 (31.37); dorsal height 15.56–26.56 (22.70); anal height 15.56–20.00 (18.07); pectoral 16.42–20.90 (18.87); depth 43.75–50.00 (46.19).

As percent of head length: Snout 26.32–35.71 (30.46); eye 30.00–36.84 (32.73); head height 81.82–91.30 (86.22).

Body oval and compressed. Dorsal and abdominal profiles equally convex. Mouth when protracted forms a tube directed downward. Gape of mouth immediately below or opposite to the ventral margin of the eye. The ventral margin of the lower jaw very concave. Teeth small and numerous in a single row in each jaw. Two small spines on dorsal aspect of head opposite the anterior border of eye. The lower margin of the pre-operculum finely serrated. Anterior part of the lateral line concave, ventrally it runs less convex to the dorsal profile extending posteriorly up to the base of the caudal fin. Ventrals with axillary scales and reaches two thirds of the way to the anal fin. Caudal fin deeply forked.

Color. Belly silvery, dorsal body with dark wavy vertical lines extending down to about or slightly ventral to the lateral line, anteriorly to below the origin of dorsal fin and posteriorly to the end of the soft dorsal. A brown blotch on the nape, which becomes diffuse on preservation in formalin. A conspicuous golden yellow patch on belly, about midway between the pelvis and the anal fin origin. Tip of snout, dotted black. The pectoral axil dotted black. Spinous part of the dorsal fin golden at mid height.

Distribution. Occurs along Mangalore, Cochin, Palk Bay, Gulf of Mannar (Mandapam), Kakinada and Godavari estuary. It has also been reported from Vembanad Lake off Cochin. It is abundant in the Rameswaram region.