Description:

Dorsal spines: 0; Dorsal rays: 18; Anal spines: 0; Anal rays: 8. 
Body long slender, somewhat cylindrical. Blunt conical snout overhanging the inferior mouth. In specimens longer than 20 cm SL, eye is covered by transparent adipose tissue. 
Orbit diameter slightly shorter than bony interorbital width. 61-65 pored lateral line scales, mode 63. Pectoral fins low on body. Dorsal fin short-based, on middle of back, 
last dorsal-fin ray slightly elongated. Pelvic fins inserted below posterior dorsal-fin rays, tips not reaching or just reaching anus. Last anal fin ray slightly elongated. 
Caudal fin lobe strongly forked, upper ray slightly longer than lower.
Colour. Head and body bright silvery white. Dorsally dark longitudinal lines between scale rows. Nostrils and tip of snout black. Anal fin white. Base of pectoral and pelvic 
fins slightly yellow. First pelvic-fin ray white. Posterior margin of caudal fin black; ventral margin of lower caudal lobe white. 

Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 35.4cm SL.

Known to frequent intertidal sandflats, mudflats and seagrass beds at high tide in search of prey. Use conical snouts to search for crustaceans, molluscs, polychaete worms 
and fishes in the sediment. Powerful pharyngeal teeth crush and grind up hard-shelled prey. The sexes are separate and fertilization is external. Spawning occurs in open 
waters. Eggs are pelagic.
 

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the seine and gill net fisheries where it is an uncommon component of the catch. It is also 
targeted by the sports fly-fishing industry. 
 

Adams, A. et al. (2012). Albula oligolepis. The IUCN Red List 2012: e.T194301A2310530. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T194301A2310530.en. (21/07/19).
Bray, D.J. (2017).  Albula oligolepis in Fishes of Australia, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4774 (21/07/19).
Brown, W. et al. (2007). Resolving Evolutionary Lineages and taxonomy of Bonefishes (Albula spp.) In: Jerald Ault (Eds.), Biology and Management of the World Tarpon 
and Bonefish Fisheries Marine Biology, Vol. 20074112, 147-154, 2007
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2019). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/63907 (21/07/19).
Hidaka, K. et al. (2008). A review of the Indo-Pacific bonefishes of the Albula argentea complex, with a description of a new species. Ichthyol Res (2008) 55:53–64.

Nevill, J.E.G. (2019). Albula oligolepis, Smallscale bonefish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/albula-oligolepis-hidaka-iwatsuki-randall-2008/  (edited 18/06/22).