Pentapodus trivittatus (Bloch, 1791)
Three-striped whiptail
Pentapodus trivittatus
photo by Greenfield, J.

Family:  Nemipteridae (Threadfin breams, Whiptail breams)
Max. size:  28 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 2 - 30 m
Distribution:  Western Pacific: Solomon Islands, New Guinea, western Caroline Islands (Palau, Yap), Philippines, East Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. This species has previously been misidentified as Pentapodus caninus by most authors.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-7. Some geographical variations. In Sulawesi shows yellow band intermittently because of other similar species in the same area (Ref. 48635). Head scales reaching forward to or just in front of level of anterior margin of eyes. Suborbital naked except for a small patch of scales beneath eyes. Lower limb of preopercle with 2 or 3 scale rows. Pelvic fins moderately long, reaching almost to level of anus. Axillary scale present. Color: Upper body dark grey or olive-brown, silvery white below. Presence of a narrow silvery white stripe joining eyes across snout just behind nostrils. Base of pectoral fin with a black bar.
Biology:  Clear coastal to outer reef crests (Ref. 48635). Common in shallow sandy rubble and coral reef areas. Usually in aggregations. Feeds on small fishes, crustaceans and polychaetes during the day (Ref. 9710).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 03 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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