Strongylura strongylura (van Hasselt, 1823)

Zainal Abidin, Danial Hariz, Lavoué, Sébastien, Mohd Abu Hassan Alshari, Norli Fauzani, Mohd. Nor, Siti Azizah, A. Rahim, Masazurah & Mohammed Akib, Noor Adelyna, 2021, Ichthyofauna of Sungai Merbok Mangrove Forest Reserve, northwest Peninsular Malaysia, and its adjacent marine waters, Check List 17 (2), pp. 601-631 : 619

Strongylura strongylura (van Hasselt, 1823)

Figure 2H

Material examined. MALAYSIA • 3, 245– 255 mm TL; Kedah State, Kuala Kedah, Kuala Muda Whispering Market ; 05.578°N, 100.341°E; 7.12.2018; Danial H. Zainal Abidin, Norli F.M.A.H. Alshari leg.; USMFC (89) 00002 .

Identification. Maximum TL about 400 mm. Body very elongate (not eel-like) and cylindrical; elongated upper and lower jaws forming pointed snout; sharp teeth in both jaws; caudal fin rounded; dorsal-fin rays 12–15; anal-fin rays 15–18; body flanks and belly silver whitish, dorsally greenish; a distinct large (its diameter roughly equal to eye diameter) black spot on caudal fin, distal part of caudal fin yellowish.

Strongylura strongylura is easily recognizable in the Merbok river estuary by its elongated upper and lower jaws and the presence of a distinct large black spot on caudal fin. Strongylura strongylura is a common coastal species which is often encountered in brackish mangrove ecosystems. Widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific region.