Creatures in Crisis
Photograph of Small-scale whiting (Sillago parvisquamis), recorded as Endangered
Small-scale whiting (Sillago parvisquamis). Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Endangered

Small-scale whiting

Sillago parvisquamis

Small-scale whiting is a ray-finned fish in the family Sillaginidae (order Perciformes) — Sillago parvisquamis, recorded as Endangered.

Status
Endangered
Scientific name
Sillago parvisquamis
Taxonomy
Perciformes · Sillaginidae · Sillago

Appearance

The small-scale whiting is very similar in external appearance to many other members of the genus Sillago, that have a slightly compressed, elongate body tapering toward the terminal mouth. The dorsal fin is in two parts, the first made of feeble spines and the second of soft rays headed by a single feeble spine. The first dorsal fin has either 12 or 13 dorsal spines, a feature unique among Sillago that otherwise have 11 dorsal spines.

The maximum known size of the species is 30 cm.

Range and habitat

The small-scale whiting occupies a fairly restricted range in the northwest Pacific Ocean consisting of southern Japan, Taiwan, Korea and India. In Japan the species is known from the southern half of the island chain below Tokyo in the west and Yokohama in the east. The species inhabits waters from 0 to 30 m in depth, often found on well developed tidal flats in the estuaries of large rivers.

Pins are Wikidata “endemic to” fields. Orange dots, when present, are GBIF occurrence tiles — survey bias included.

Habits

Spawning in the species takes place from May to September, with peaks identified in June and July.

In crisis

It is a benthic predator taking crustaceans, molluscs and annelids. Minor fisheries exist for the small-scale whiting, although it is thought be endangered by habitat loss and pollutionIUCN.

Small-scale whiting is Endangered on this catalog because that is the IUCN category stored on Wikidata. Confirm the official criteria and any later count on iucnredlist.org.

Sources

Written for this catalog from the English Wikipedia article on Small-scale whiting, Wikidata item Q3271959. Family and order context is original field-guide writing about the group, not a copied assessment of this one species. Wikipedia text is CC BY-SA. Not an IUCN assessment. Counts, when quoted, can change — confirm them on the recovery programme and on iucnredlist.org.

Photograph via Wikimedia Commons. Wikipedia · Wikidata · IUCN Red List.

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Javan rhinoceros

Rhinoceros sondaicus
Photograph of Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Sumatran orangutan

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Photograph of Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), recorded as Critically EndangeredCR

Axolotl

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Quick answers

What is Small-scale whiting?
Small-scale whiting is a ray-finned fish in the family Sillaginidae (order Perciformes) — Sillago parvisquamis.
What is the conservation status of Small-scale whiting?
Endangered, as the IUCN category stored on Wikidata for Sillago parvisquamis. Confirm the official assessment on iucnredlist.org.
Where does Small-scale whiting live?
The species inhabits waters from 0 to 30 m in depth, often found on well developed tidal flats in the estuaries of large rivers.
Why is Small-scale whiting in crisis?
It is a benthic predator taking crustaceans, molluscs and annelids.
Is this the IUCN Red List page for Sillago parvisquamis?
No. This is a researched catalog account. The Red List is the assessment.
Is Small-scale whiting a pet?
An animal on this catalog is in crisis in the wild. Keeping one is usually the wrong question.