Highfin Ponyfish

Description: Body silvery; males usually with triangular bluish patches on side of belly; dorsal spots small semicircular or irregular greyish green; ventral spots large yellow; eyes greenish; fins dorsal and anal soft rays margin yellow. Head naked; with nuchal spine. Protracted mouth pointing downward. Body deep and compressed moderately, depth max 2.0-3.0 in SL. Breast with scales. Second dorsal and anal spines elongated. (Ref. 2108, 90102)

Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 14

Occurs in inshore waters of the continental shelf (Ref. 75154). Feeds mainly on polychaetes and crustaceans (Ref. 26908).

Found in coastal inshore waters over mud or sand bottoms, rarely near reefs (Ref 90102). Stays near the substrate and feeds on small shrimps, other crustaceans, and polychaetes (Ref. 5213). A flighty species during the day (Ref. 48635).

fisheries: commercial

分布於印度-西太平洋區，西起非洲東岸，北至琉球群島，南迄澳洲北部。台灣以西部及南部之砂泥底質水域、河口區及澎湖沿海為主。

一般漁法以底拖網、待袋網、小型圍網捕獲。肉質細嫩，適合煮湯；或當延繩釣之魚餌或以下雜魚般餵食高經濟價值之養殖魚類。

體橢圓形而側扁，背部之輪廓較腹部輪廓相當。眼上緣具一鼻後棘。口小，可向下方伸出；上下頜僅一列細小齒；下頜輪廓深凹；吻端截平，眶間隔微凹入。頭部不具鱗；體完全被圓鱗；腹鰭具腋鱗，背鰭及臀鰭具鞘鱗；側線明顯，延伸至尾鰭基部。背鰭第二棘延長如絲，長於體高之一半；臀鰭第二棘亦延長如絲，但稍短。體背灰色，體側銀白。體側上半部具半圓形、波浪形及不規則之暗色斑紋；側線下方另具一列黃色斑點。背、臀鰭硬棘、軟條部灰色而有黃色緣；胸、腹鰭色淡；尾鰭後緣淡黃色。

主要棲息於砂泥底質的沿海地區。群游性，一般皆在底層活動，活動深度約在1-40公尺之間。肉食性，以小蝦為主，亦食其它小型甲殼類或多毛類。