Polynemus melanochir Valenciennes, 1831
Blackhand paradise fish
Polynemus melanochir
photo by Motomura, H.

Family:  Polynemidae (Threadfins)
Max. size:  25 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; brackish
Distribution:  Asia: Mekong River system at least as far as Can Tho, Viet Nam and from the Bassac River at least as far as My Tho, Viet Nam. Reported from Indonesia (Ref. 5978).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 8-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 16-16; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 11-12. Head and body grayish-black dorsally, pale whitish-yellow ventrally. Snout long, strongly pointed (7% of SL). Pectoral filaments 7, the last probably the longest. Upper caudal fin lobe short (34-35% of SL). Swim bladder absent (Ref. 43351).
Biology:  Inhabit lower sections of rivers. Can probably be found in estuaries (Ref. 9685). Important food fish in along the Mekong River and its related rivers (Ref. 57343).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 14 March 2011 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.