Overview

Comprehensive Description

Biology

Found in coastal pelagic waters and often observed as entering mangroves and adjacent brackish waters (Ref. 43081). Juveniles and adults may penetrate the upper reaches where mixohaline-mesohaline conditions prevail. Eggs and larvae are found in the lower reaches of the mangroves (Ref. 43081). A schooling species found mostly inshore. Feed on planktonic organisms in coastal waters (Ref. 43081). Juveniles in mangroves feed on larvae of shrimps and fish (Ref. 43081). Confusions in identification make all previous biological studies unreliable. One of the commonest species of Thryssa (if identifications have been correct).
  • Munroe, T.A. and M. Nizinski 1999 Engraulidae. Anchovies. p. 1698-1706. In K.E. Carpenter and V.H. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 3. Batoid fishes, chimaeras and bony fishes part 1 (Elopidae to Linophrynidae). FAO, Rome.   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=9822 External link.
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Distribution

Range Description

Thryssa mystax ranges from the coast of Pakistan to Australia, including the coasts of India, Myanmar, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and China. It is also found in the Gulf of Thailand.
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Indo-West Pacific: western coast of India to Myanmar and south to Java, Indonesia.
  • Whitehead, P.J.P., G.J. Nelson and T. Wongratana 1988 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (Suborder Clupeoidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. Part 2 - Engraulididae. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/2):305-579. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 189)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=189&speccode=4 External link.
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Physical Description

Morphology

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Analspines: 0; Analsoft rays: 29 - 37
  • Whitehead, P.J.P., G.J. Nelson and T. Wongratana 1988 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (Suborder Clupeoidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. Part 2 - Engraulididae. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/2):305-579. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 189)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=189&speccode=4 External link.
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Size

Maximum size: 155 mm SL
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Max. size

15.5 cm SL (male/unsexed; (Ref. 189))
  • Whitehead, P.J.P., G.J. Nelson and T. Wongratana 1988 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (Suborder Clupeoidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. Part 2 - Engraulididae. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/2):305-579. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 189)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=189&speccode=4 External link.
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Diagnostic Description

Belly with 24 to 32 keeled scutes from isthmus to anus. Tip of snout on a level with eye center. Maxilla long, reaching to or almost to base of first pectoral fin ray; first supra-maxilla oval, minute. Lower gill rakers with serrae on the inner edge even and not clumped. A dark blotch behind upper part of gill opening.
  • Whitehead, P.J.P., G.J. Nelson and T. Wongratana 1988 FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 7. Clupeoid fishes of the world (Suborder Clupeoidei). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of the herrings, sardines, pilchards, sprats, shads, anchovies and wolf-herrings. Part 2 - Engraulididae. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(7/2):305-579. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 189)   http://www.fishbase.org/references/FBRefSummary.php?id=189&speccode=4 External link.
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Ecology

Habitat

Habitat and Ecology

Habitat and Ecology
Thryssa mystax is a pelagic, schooling species, found inshore in estuaries, mangroves, and brackish water. It can be found to depths of 50 m. This species is tolerant of a range of salinities.

Systems
  • Marine
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Environment

pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); brackish; marine; depth range 0 - 50 m (Ref. 189)
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Migration

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.
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Trophic Strategy

Inhabits coral reefs (Ref. 58534).
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Molecular Biology and Genetics

Molecular Biology

Statistics of barcoding coverage: Thryssa mystax

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 0
Species: 8
Species With Barcodes: 1

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Conservation

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List Assessment


Red List Category
LC
Least Concern

Red List Criteria

Version
3.1

Year Assessed
2010

Assessor/s
Munroe, T.A.

Reviewer/s
Collen, B., Richman, N., Beresford, A., Chenery, A. & Ram, M.

Contributor/s
De Silva, R., Milligan, H., Lutz, M., Batchelor, A., Jopling, B., Kemp, K., Lewis, S., Lintott, P., Sears, J., Wilson, P., Smith, J. and Livingston, F.

Justification
Thryssa mystax has been assessed as Least Concern. This broadly distributed species is known to be abundant in at least parts of its range. Although it is harvested and marketed for a number of purposes, at present, this does not appear to be significantly impacting the global population of this wide-ranging species. However, further research and monitoring of the harvest levels of this species is recommended.
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Population

Population
Thryssa mystax is one of the most common anchovy species if identifications to date are correct (Wongratana et al. 1999).

Population Trend
Unknown
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Threats

Threats

Major Threats
Thryssa mystax is harvested by the commercial fishing industry using both seine nets and bamboo-stake traps (Wongratana et al. 1999). It is marketed fresh, salted and dried, in fish sauce, fish balls, and as fish meal. Four percent of by-catch from the north of Viet Nam consists of this species (Son et al. 2005). This species is also an important part of the fishery within the state of Kerala and along the Tuticorin coastline (Nalluchinnappan and Jeyabaskaran 1991).
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Least Concern (LC)
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Management

Conservation Actions

Conservation Actions
There are no species-specific conservation measures in place for Thryssa mystax. However, its distribution may coincide with a number of marine protected areas, affording it some protection from harvesting. Monitoring of the harvest levels of this species is needed to assess levels of exploitation.
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Relevance to Humans and Ecosystems

Benefits

Importance

fisheries: commercial
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