Thrissina mystica, Hata, Lavoue, Psomadakis, Osmany & Motomura, 2025

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 74

Thrissina mystica

Common name. Balam.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from T. whiteheadi by: ● 3–16 gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch / ● 34–40 branched anal rays. Size up to 270 mm SL.

Distribution . From Persian Gulf east to south India. In Shatt al Arab/Arvand, Hammar Marsh, and up to Nasiriyah on Euphrates.

Habitat. Pelagic in coastal waters, entering freshwaters.

Biology. Spring visit to Hammar Marsh and presence of juveniles suggest spawning in brackish waters. Two spawning peaks, one in December–January and one in March– April. Feeds on a wide variety of planktonic invertebrates, fish larvae, and small fish.

Conservation status. LC.

Remark. Usually identified as T. hamiltonii , or as T. malabarica . Thrissina malabarica occurs in East Asia.

Further reading. Carpenter et al. 1997 (identification, distribution); Hata et al. 2021 (redescription). Hata et al. 2023 ( T. malabarica ); Hata et al. 2023 (as T. malabarica ); Hata et al. 2025 ( Thrissina mystica ).

Figures

Thrissina mystica

Distribution