Robust Silverside

Scientific Name: Atherinomorus lacunosus
Family: Silversides - Atherinidae
Maximum Size: 14cm
Identification: Robust body; greenish silver often with blue reflections on gill cover; two dorsal fins with ventrals below and behind pectorals; narrow silver mid-body stripe.
Favourite: Form schools.
Hide-out: Near surface in sheltered waters of mangroves and coastal reefs.
Location: Asian Pacific - Kalimantan (Borneo) in Indonesia to Solomon Is. Philippines and Palau to Great Barrier Reef.

Striped Silverside

Scientific Name: Atherinomorus endrachtensis
Family: Silversides - Atherinidae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: Silvery; slender with two dorsal fins and ventrals below and behind pectorals; several longitudinal rows of small dark spots on sides.
Favourite: Form schools.
Hide-out: Usually at surface in sheltered waters of mangroves and coastal reefs.
Location: Asian Pacific - Kalimantan (Borneo) in Indonesia to Solomon Is. Philippines and Palau to Great Barrier Reef.

Oblong Silver Biddy

Scientific Name: Gerres oblongus
Family: Mojarras - Gerreidae
Maximum Size: 35cm
Identification: Silver with ovular spots forming broken stripes.
Favourite: Solitary or form loose groups.
Hide-out: Sandy areas near reefs.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Red Sea to Samoa. S.W. Japan to New Caledonia.

Longtail Silver Biddy

Scientific Name: Gerres acinaces
Family: Mojarras - Gerreidae
Maximum Size: 35cm
Identification: Silver with obvious scales; several rows of dusky (usually oval) markings on sides; young have 7-8 dusky bars.
Favourite: Solitary or form loose groups.
Hide-out: Sandy areas near reefs to 12m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Marshall Is. in Micronesia. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Deep-Bodied Silver Biddy

Scientific Name: Gerres erythrourus
Family: Mojarras - Gerreidae
Maximum Size: 35cm
Identification: Silver with dusky bars and darkish tail, yellow ventral fins.
Favourite: Form loose groups to small schools.
Hide-out: Sand flats and slopes to 40m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - Maldives to S.W. Japan, Palau and Yap in Micronesia.

Reef Needlefish

Scientific Name: Strongylura incisa
Family: Needlefishes - Belonidae
Maximum Size: 70cm
Identification: Silvery; extremely slender with elongate upper and lower jaws and numerous needle-like teeth; tail margin wavy with larger lower lobe; no keel on tail base.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Near surface of lagoons and inshore reefs.
Location: Asian Pacific - S.W. Japan and Micronesia to Great Barrier Reef.

Blacktip Silver Biddy

Scientific Name: Gerres oyena
Family: Mojarras - Gerreidae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Silver with obvious scales; unmarked except for a blackish margin on dorsal fin (more intense at front).
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Common along sandy beaches and sand bottoms near reefs to 10m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Mariana Is. in Micronesia. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Silver Grunter

Scientific Name: Mesopristes argenteus
Family: Grunters - Terapontidae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Silvery gray with white belly; white first spine on ventral and anal fins, yellow iris. Small Juveniles - White with 4 or 5 black stripes and yellow fins.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Estuaries and stream mouths, occasionally near reefs to 3m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia, Philippines, New Guinea and Solomon Is. to Cape York in N.E. Australia.

Toothpony

Scientific Name: Gazza minuta
Family: Ponyfishes - Leiognathidae
Maximum Size: 14cm
Identification: Silvery gray with bold maze-like pattern of dark markings on back.
Favourite: Usually form aggregations.
Hide-out: Silty coastal reefs to 40m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Society Is. in French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Crescent-Banded Grunter

Scientific Name: Terapon jarbua
Family: Grunters - Terapontidae
Maximum Size: 32cm
Identification: Silvery with pattern of curved darkish bands on body; striped tail.
Favourite: Form schools.
Hide-out: Estuaries, stream mouths and along sandy beaches in areas of brackish water in 20-290m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Red Sea to Samoa. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Orangefin Ponyfish

Scientific Name: Leiognathus bindus
Family: Ponyfishes - Leiognathidae
Maximum Size: 11cm
Identification: Silvery gray with subtle maze-like pattern on back; deep body; orange spot at front of dorsal fin.
Favourite: Usually form schools.
Hide-out: Coastal rock and coral reefs mixed with sand bottoms to 40m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - India and Sri Lanka to S.W. Japan and Australia.

Diamondfish

Scientific Name: Monodactylus argenteus
Family: Diamondfishes - Monodactylidae
Maximum Size: 27cm
Identification: Silver, dorsal and tail fins yellowish to yellow; round laterally compressed body with prominent triangular dorsal and anal fins.
Favourite: Form schools.
Hide-out: Estuaries, harbors and silty inshore reefs to 10m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Mariana Is. in Micronesia. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Threadfin Pearl-Perch

Scientific Name: Glaucosoma magnificum
Family: Pearl Perches - Glaucosomatidae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: Compressed oval body; silver with greenish mottling on rear body; brown eye bar, white spot below rear dorsal fin; filament trails from fore lobe of rear dorsal fin.
Favourite: Usually form schools.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs and trawling grounds in 10-30m.
Location: S. New Guinea to N. Australia.

Banded Archerfish

Scientific Name: Toxotes jaculatrix
Family: Archerfishes - Toxotidae
Maximum Size: 20cm
Identification: Silvery white with 4 or 5 wedge-shaped black bars on upper half of sides; dorsal fin well back on rear body.
Hide-out: Swim near surface; shoot down insect prey with jet of water from mouth. Coral reefs adjacent to mangroves.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - India to Indonesia, New Guinea and Auatralia.

Plain Flagtail

Scientific Name: Kuhlia petit
Family: Flagtails - Kuhliidae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Silvery with no distinguishing markings; may mix with Barred Flagtail, but lack of bold markings on tail.
Favourite: Form aggregations.
Hide-out: In surf zone of rocky shores or in tide pools.
Location: Central Pacific - Phoenix Is. in Central Pacific and Marquesas Is. in French Polynesia.

Sand Bass

Scientific Name: Psammoperca waigiensis
Family: Snooks - Centropomidae
Maximum Size: 47cm
Identification: Silvery gray to brown; eyes have glassy appearance.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups; nocturnal.
Hide-out: Often in dark recesses around weedy areas in 3-12m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia to Philippines. China to N. Australia.

Barred Flagtail

Scientific Name: Kuhlia mugil
Family: Flagtails - Kuhliidae
Maximum Size: 24cm
Identification: Silvery, perch-like fish with striped pattern on tail.
Favourite: Frequently form schools.
Hide-out: Rocky surf zones. Juveniles often inhabit rocky tide pools.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea to Central America. S.W. Japan to Australia.

Sixfeeler Threadfin

Scientific Name: Polydactylus sexfilis
Family: Threadfins - Polynemidae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Silver; under-slung jaw, 6 elongate rays extend from lower pectoral fins. Rays extend to scour sand when feeding.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Sand, mudflats and mangroves.
Location: Indo-Pacific - India to Micronesia, Hawaii and Pitcaim Is. east of French Polynesia. S. Japan to Australia.

Indo-Pacific Tarpon

Scientific Name: Megalops cyprinoides
Family: Tarpons - Megalopidae
Maximum Size: 90cm
Identification: Silver; large prominent scales, pectoral fins low on body, ventral fins on belly below dorsal fin, deeply forked tail.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Inner bays, river mouths and mangroves to 50m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea to N. Micronesia and French Polynesia. S. Korea to S.E. Australia.

Dwarf Mullet

Scientific Name: Valamugil engeli
Family: Mullets - Mugilidae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Identification: Small; silvery without distinctive markings.
Favourite: Form schools.
Hide-out: Shallow protected areas of sand, algae and mud in lagoons and around shallow reef flats to 8m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to French Polynesia.