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Gazza minuta (Bloch, 1795)
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Gazza minuta (Bloch, 1795)
  • Photo. (c) 2020 John Nevill.
  • Photo. (c) 2020 John Nevill.
  • Photo. (c) 2020 John Nevill.
Genus: ,

Scientific Name: Gazza minuta

English Name: Toothpony

Creole Name: Sap sap

French Name: Sapsap dentu

IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC)



Information

Description:

Dorsal spines: 8; Dorsal rays: 15-17; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 13-14.

Body oval. Moderately deep and laterally compressed. Dorsal and ventral profiles equally convex.

Mouth pointing forward when protracted, with distinct caniniform teeth in both jaws. Head and breast scaleless.

Colour.  Head and body silvery. Dorsally greyish (less bright), with yellow irregular marks extending to below lateral line (not apparent in specimen pictured here). 
Spinous dorsal-fin membrane black-edged. Soft dorsal fin and anal fin edged with grey. Anterior part of anal fin yellow. Caudal fin yellowish, hind margin dusky. 
Pectoral and pelvic fins colourless. Underside of pectoral-fin base with black dots.


Size:

Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 21cm TL, commonly to 15cm TL.


Habitat and Ecology:

Inhabits coastal inshore waters over silty bottoms (depth 0-75m). Juveniles in shallower water around mangroves to 10m and enter estuaries. Forms schools. Feeds on small 
fishes, shrimps, other crustaceans, and polychaetes. Juveniles feed on plankton and insects as well.
 


Fishery Status:

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in net fisheries such as the beach seine fishery, where it is a regular and sometimes abundant 
component of the catch. 
 


Notes:

 

 


References:

Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2020). FishBase. Gazza minuta https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Gazza-minuta (11/04/20).
James, P.S.B.R. (1984). Leiognathidae. In W. Fischer and G. Bianchi (eds.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Indian Ocean (Fishing Area 51). 
Vol. 2. FAO, Rome. pag. var. (Ref. 3424)
Larson, H. & Sparks, J.S. (2017). Gazza minuta. The IUCN Red List 2017: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T166575A44015980.en. (11/04/20).
Woodland, D.J. et al. (1984). Leiognathidae, FAO. http://www.fao.org/3/y0770e/y0770e04.pdf (09/04/20).
 


Citation:

Nevill, J.E.G. (2020). Gazza minuta, Toothpony. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc.  https://seatizens.sc/species/gazza-minuta-bloch-1795/ (edited 15/07/22). 


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