(Euphrasen)
1. Distinctive characteristics of early developmental stages
(a) Eggs and Larvae
Not yet reported from the mangroves.
(b) Early juveniles/juveniles (description based on 54 mm T-L- specimens)
Pampus chinensis 1
The body is compressed and deep, the mouth terminal. The gill opening looks like a vertical slit. Stellate pigment is at times present on the head. The preoperculum ridge is not yet discernible at this stage. The dorsal profile (between the snout and dorsal fin origin) is slightly depressed and the dorsal and anal fins are not as deep as in adults, originating at the level of the pectoral fin base. Blade-like spines are absent prior to the dorsal and anal fin origin. Pelvic fins are absent. The caudal fin is not deeply forked but slightly forked.
2. Distinguishing characteristics of juveniles in similar species occurring in the adjacent coastal waters .
(a) Pampus argenteus
Blade-like spines are present prior to the dorsal and anal fins (not so in P. chinensis ). The caudal fin is deeply forked (mildly forked in P. chinensis ). Median fins are not very broad. (broader in P. chinensis ). Dorsal and anal fins originate well behind the pectoral fin origin (both these median fins originate just at the level of the pectoral fin base in P. chinensis ). Groove-like pigmentation is at times present near the nape (stellate pigment in P. chinensis ).
3. Salient biological characteristics (after Fischer and Bianchi, 1984)
It grows to a maximum size of 400 mm in T.L. in coastal waters. 54-98 mm specimens were recorded in the mangroves. It is a carnivore feeding on macro-zooplankters in coastal waters (Fischer and Bianchi, 1984). In the mangroves, the juveniles feed on planktonic copepods and zoea of crustaceans.
4. Salient ecological information
The juveniles of this species occur in the mangroves during the post northeast monsoon season (dry season). The early juveniles and juveniles lead a pelagic life (as against adults which are at times demersal and dwell in shelf waters up to 80 m in depth). This species is distributed in the coastal waters of India, Sri Lanka, China. Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia. It occurs either individually or in schools in the muddy bottoms (Fischer and Bianchi, 1984).
Acanthocephalan parasites along with fish scales were recorded from the juveniles collected from the mangroves. Caligus multispinosus shen, a copepod parasite, attacks this species (a new host) in Southeast Indian mangroves. In addition, another copepod parasite belonging to the family Bomolochidae was isolated from the juvenile Pampus chinensis from the mangroves (Jeyaseelan, 1981). However, it is not clear whether the copepod parasite-infested sick and lethargic juveniles of P. chinensis have any specific preference towards the mangroves, since the ecosystem acts as a safe haven by virtue of its shallowness and turbid waters (by screening the larger predator from entering into the mangroves and limited visibility for ineffective predation respectively).
5. Capture fisheries
Caught in bottom trawls and gill-nets (Fischer and Bianchi, 1984). Highly delicious and fetches a good price in the markets. Utilized in fresh condition.