Liza parsia (Hamilton, 1822)

Hasan, Ariba & Siddiqui, Pirzada Jamal Ahmed, 2020, Taxonomic study of the family Mugilidae from Pakistan coast (northern Arabian Sea), Zootaxa 4881 (1), pp. 131-151 : 141

Liza parsia (Hamilton, 1822)

(Figure: 9)

D1: IV; D2: 8 A: III, 9; Pc: 15–17; Pl: I, 5 L. S: 32–33; T .S: 11–13

Local name: Boi, Parse (Sin); Polat, Murbo (BAL)

FAO name: Gold-spot mullet

Material examined. 5 specimens of 320–323 mm TL.

Diagnosis. Body depth at origin of first dorsal fin is 21–23% of SL, 20–23% of SL at anal fin and 10–12% of SL at caudal. Center of pupil below the mid-gape horizontally. Origin of first dorsal fin nearer to the tip of snout than to the base of caudal fin. Origin of second dorsal fin one third to half along the base of anal fin vertically. Pectoral fin 21–23% of SL, 77–78% of HL. Scale numbers: 32–33 in lateral series, 11–13 scales in transverse series.

Description. Body somewhat slender, head wide, flattened dorsally. Adipose eye-fold is fairly developed, covers most of the posterior part of iris and partially covers part of anterior iris. Thin lips, anterior rim of eye and posterior nostril vertically level with hind tip of upper jaw. Wide pre-orbital bone completely filling the space between lip and eye, anteriorly notched. Pectoral fin has I, 15–17 soft rays not reaching to the origin of first dorsal fin horizontally Pectoral axillary scale is absent. Second dorsal and anal fins are well scaled. Anal fin with 3 spines, 9 soft rays. Scales ctenoid.

Color. Dorsally greenish brown, white to silver ventrally, base of caudal, anal and second dorsal fin yellowish, other fins off-white with dusky margins, operculum has golden spot.

Distribution. It is distributed along the coast of Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and Andaman Island. Collected from Karachi fishing port, rarely found at Baluchistan coast.

Remarks. Liza parsia is the only species of the genus Liza whose mid-gape is above the center of pupil.