Butterfish

Silvery with purple tinge. Fins grayish.

Oviparous, gonochorous, with pelagic eggs (Ref. 101194).

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 16; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 13 - 15

Occurs in small schools in areas with muddy substrates on the continental shelf and upper slope. Feeds mainly on zooplankton. Appears to be pelagic at night and demersal by day and may migrate seasonally.

Occurs in small schools in areas with muddy substrates on the continental shelf and upper slope. Feeds mainly on zooplankton. Appears to be pelagic at night and demersal by day and may migrate seasonally. Marketed fresh or dried-salted (Ref. 3300).

fisheries: commercial

分布於印度-太平洋區，由非洲南部至波斯灣，東至印度-馬來區，北至日本。台灣偶可見於西部台灣堆海域。

經濟性魚種，年產1,000至10,000公噸，以生鮮或乾漬利用。

體卵圓形而側扁，背及腹面圓鈍。頭中大，側扁而高。吻端鈍圓。眼中大型，其直徑大於吻長。口斜裂，上下頜約等長；上下頜有一列稀疏細齒，鋤骨、腭骨及舌上則無細齒。前鰓蓋骨及主鰓蓋骨皆無棘。鰓耙細長，具擬鰓；鰓裂寬，鰓膜不相連並在喉峽部游離。體被薄圓鱗，亦脫落，頭部無鱗；側線鱗數約41-43。背鰭兩個，緊鄰，中間具缺刻，第一背鰭硬棘IX-XII，第二背鰭鰭條I + 15-16；臀鰭和第二背鰭同型，III + 15；胸鰭中長，末端至第二背鰭起點之下方；腹鰭短，可收入腹溝中；尾鰭深叉。體銀灰色，背部色較深，腹部淺色；各鰭淺色。

主要棲息於大陸棚砂泥底區域。主要以浮游動物為食，具日夜垂直洄游之習性。

Occurs in small schools in areas with muddy substrates on the continental shelf and upper slope. Feeds mainly on zooplankton. Appears to be pelagic at night and demersal by day and may migrate seasonally. Marketed fresh or dried-salted (Ref. 3300).