Shining at Sea: Field Identification of Silver pomfrets in Indian waters

Roul, Subal Kumar and Jeena, N S (2025) Shining at Sea: Field Identification of Silver pomfrets in Indian waters. Marine Fisheries Information Service; Technical and Extension Series (264) (264). pp. 21-25. ISSN 0254-380X

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Abstract

Three species of Pampus (P.chinensis, P. candidus, and P. griseus) are sympatric in Indian waters, although they differ in their distribution range and relative abundance. P. chinensis is widely distributed along the entire Indian coastline, whereas P. candidus is restricted to the west coast and Tamil Nadu, and P. griseus occurs exclusively along the east coast. Among the three, P. griseus most closely resembles P. candidus in overall body form. Both P. griseus and P. candidus have an elongated anal fin that extends beyond the caudal peduncle. Their caudal fin is also long and deeply forked, with the lower lobe almost twice the length of the upper, a feature consistent across all size classes of these two species. Earlier studies have reported shortening of the lower caudal fin lobe with age, may be misleading, possibly due to breakage at the tip of the anal fin, a detail that may have been overlooked. Therefore, this characteristic should not be heavily relied upon to distinguish these cryptic species. Because pomfrets generally have long, thin, fragile and delicate fins that are highly prone to damage during fishing operations, post-harvest handling, or predator attacks, extreme caution must be exercised when conducting taxonomic investigations of such species. Such damage can easily lead to misidentification if not properly accounted for. This field identification guide will serve as a practical tool for fishery officers, fishers, students, researchers, and local scientists, helping them accurately identify Pampus species during routine sampling and fishery data collection. It will also enhance the precision of species-specific records and strengthen the reliability of fishery statistics, thereby supporting future research, monitoring, and sustainable management of Pampus resources along the Indian coastline.

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