Species: Taractichthys longipinnis, Bigscale pomfret

Taractichthys longipinnis (Lowe, 1843)

Bigscale pomfret

Head and body moderately compressed; body deep (depth 48-58% of SL); snout blunt, rounded; head profile convex; head arched and rounded between eyes; eyes large, more than ½ eye diameter below the nearest part of the upper head profile; mouth at front, strongly oblique, the rear of the top jaw wide, exposed and covered with scales; small curved canine teeth in bands on both jaws; the single dorsal and anal fins have long bases, similar shapes and sizes, I-III spines; dorsal and anal fins low, with large, curved, pointed lobes at front; dorsal fin 33-38, anal fin 26-30; pectoral low on body, long, reaches well past front lobe of anal fin; pelvics small (length 7-9% of SL), inserted just before pectoral base; tail deeply concave; tail base without a keel, but with well developed transverse grooves before tail fin; scales large 39-46 (usually 42-45), and spiny in individuals up to 40 cm, about 5 rows along the flank are ridged; dorsal & anal fins scaly, no scaly sheath along base of those fins; adults without lateral line.