Body slightly elongate. Chin with 2 slender barbels which usually reach or extend posterior to rear margin of preopercle. Mouth small; villiform teeth in a narrow band in jaws, on palatines, and in 2 small patches on vomer. First gill arch with 7 to 9 gill rakers on upper limb, 18 to 22 on lower limb (total 26 to 30). Two well-separated dorsal fins, the first with VIII spines, but first spine minute, and the second with 9 soft rays; second and third dorsal-fin spines longest, 1.45 to 1.65 times in head length; anal fin with 7 soft rays; pectoral-fin rays 14 to 17. Lateral-line scales 33 to 36; no scales on side of snout; small scales basally on second dorsal and anal fins. Body silvery greenish or pink dorsally, shading to silvery on sides and ventrally, with 2 narrow brassy yellow stripes on side of body; caudal fin without dark cross bands; first dorsal fin broadly tipped with black; rest of fin with 2 broad dusky yellow stripes, the narrow interspaces white; remaining fins dusky yellowish; barbels white; peritoneum brown to dark brown.
habitats
Found in coastal waters, entering estuaries. Forms schools. Has appearance of sillaginids when schooling.
Distribution
Widely distributed in Indo-West Pacific from east Africa to southeast Asia, northward to the coast of China and southward to the northern coast of Australia. Also reported from New Caledonia and Fiji. It is mainly found in western and northern Taiwanese w