Gerres longirostris (Lacepède, 1801)

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7

Live specimens"quot; head and trunk sides olive-green above, becoming silvery below; snout region blackish dorsally; dorsal fin membrane with faint black blotches or small spots at each spine and ray, just above edge of scaly basal sheath, silvery anteriorly on 1st-5th dorsal spine, grading to hyaline on spinous and soft dorsal fin; anal fin scaly basal sheath silver; distal part of pelvic fin between 1st-5th soft rays often white or hyaline for 1/5-1/3 of ray length, other parts hyaline or slightly yellowish; pectoral and anal fins hyaline. Caudal fin dusky with broad darker margin posteriorly which may be indistinct in old or poorly preserved specimens; ventral edge of lower caudal fin lobe white or bluish-white. Generally, body with prominent dark stripes along scale rows above lateral line (distinct in preserved specimens); 4-9 somewhat oblique dusky bars or columns of ovoid dark spots immediately below lateral line in specimens over 10 cm SL (dusky bars on less than 10 cm) but more apparent in preserved or stressed individuals. Scales between 5th dorsal fin spine base and lateral line 5-6.5 (modally 5.5). Upper jaw extending vertically beyond anteriormost margin of dermal eye opening, sometimes reaching to vertical at anterior margin of pupil. Second dorsal fin spine longest, 17-25% SL . Compared with G. oblongus, G. longirostris has a greater body depth, mean 39% SL (versus 33% SL); smaller orbit diameter, mean 10%SL (versus 12% SL); and greater length of 3rd anal fin spine, mean 12% SL (versus 10% SL). Examination of the meristic and morphometric data of the syntypes of G. lineolatus and G. rueppellii, and holotype of G. darnleyense showed all these are subadult or young specimens of G. longirostris . Pelvic fin of Red Sea specimens solid yellow with a narrow white distal margin; anal fin with a yellow tinge between the first rays; pectoral fin base with a dark brown spot (Horst Moosleitner, personal communication, [email protected]).