TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Carangidae ((Jacks and pompanos)

Genus/species: Trachinotus mookalee

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Dorsal snout profile very steep. Pompano may also refer to various other, similarly shaped members of Carangidae, or the order Perciformes. Their appearance is deep bodied and mackerel-like, typically silver and toothless with a forked tail and narrow base. There are twenty described species and most are valued as food.
Common length : 90.0 cm (35 inches). Max. wt. 8.1kg (17.85 lbs)

Indian Pompano19251381660_2573191e7a_k

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-West Pacific found in tropical shallow coastal waters.

Indian Pompano8396538496_c3d6f271a5_k

 

DIET IN THE WILD: Pompano are primarily bottom feeders that opportunistically “graze” preferred species.  Well developed pharyngeal plates are present, and indicate that hard-shelled organisms such as crabs and mollusks are important in the diet. 

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Not Evaluated

References

California Academy of Sciences Reef Lagoon 2016

Ron’s WordPress shortlink http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1Eg

Ron’s flickr  https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/19251381660/in/album-72157627919810858/

fishbase  http://fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?ID=1964&AT=Indian+Pompano

EOL http://www.eol.org/pages/26259/details