Latin name

Selaroides leptolepis

Other name

Yellowstripe trevally, yellow-banded trevally, smooth-tailed trevally, slender-scaled trevally, slender trevally.

Identification

The body of the Yellowstripe Scad is elongated, with the sides strongly compressed. 

Features of fish fins

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 24 - 26; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 21 - 23.

Like other members of the family, they have two dorsal fins: a short barbed fin at the front and a longer second fin. Bony plates are well defined on the caudal peduncle and along the lateral line in the rear of the body.

Fish colouring

These are fish with silvery scales. 

Distribution

Prefers the warm waters of tropical seas, with a range in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. Found from the Persian Gulf to the Philippines, from Japan to the Arafura Sea and off Australia.

Habitat

Marine tropical amphidromous species that prefers brackish waters. It inhabits the coastal waters of the continental shelf at depths ranging from 1 to 25 metres. 

Size

Yellowstripe scad can reach 22 cm in length and 625 grams in weight. The total length of this species is 15 cm.

Behavior

Yellow-striped scad form large benthic schools and sometimes ascend into freshwater areas such as the intertidal zone in the Mekong Delta. 

Food and feeding habits

They feed on ostracods, snails and other invertebrates, as well as small fish.

Reproduction

India has a long breeding season, with each individual spawning only once a year. The season lasts from July to March with two peaks from January to April and July to October. 

During spawning, the ratio of males to females is close to parity at 1:1, but at other times of the year it varies with location and females tend to be more numerous. Fecundity is directly related to fish size. Eggs are pelagic and occur in both inshore and downstream estuaries.

Fishing

The species is commercially important. The main exporters are Vietnam and Thailand, where the fish are usually processed.

Relationship with a person

Harmless.