Silver-banded whiting
Encyclopedia
The silver-banded whiting, Sillago argentifasciata, is a narrowly distributed species
of inshore marine
fish
of the smelt whiting family Sillaginidae
that inhabits the coastline of a single province
within the Philippines
. The species' taxonomic status is still marginally uncertain, with the last major review of sillaginid fish by McKay proposing S. argentifasciata is a senior synonym
of a related species, S. ingenuua. The species takes its name from a brilliant silvery strip running laterally across its body.
of the genus
Sillago
, one of 3 genera in the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae
, a division of the suborder Percoidei
.
The species was first identified and named Sillago argentifasciata by Martin and Montalban in 1935 from the holotype
specimen
collected in the waters of Lumbucan Island in the Philippines
. The common name 'silver-banded whiting' is derived from the longitudinal
silver
band on the flank
of the species. The holotype of the species was not examined by McKay in his comprehensive review of the Sillaginidae
due to its destruction in World War II
, but he proposed that the species may be a senior synonym
of S. ingenuua. However, he also noted that the species possessed a number of characters which distinguished it from its relatives and suggested further collecting was needed before the taxonomic status of the species was certain.
The silver-banded whiting shows the same basic body profile as the rest of the members of the Sillago genus, possessing an elongate, slightly compressed body tapering toward the terminal mouth, with two apparent dorsal fin
s. The species has a more curved ventral profile than most of its relatives however, and within its known range, this and the silver
y band may be enough to identify it in the field. More definitive characteristics are the dorsal and anal fins, with the first dorsal fin possessing 11 spines while the second dorsal contains one spine and 17 or 18 soft rays posterior to the spines. The anal fin has two spines followed by 17 soft rays. Like all smelt-whitings, its body is covered in ctenoid scales, with a lateral line
scale count of 66, while the cheek has three rows of scales, those on the upper row cycloid, and on the lower two rows ctenoid. The vertebrae count and swim bladder morphology for the species is currently unknown, but may be revealed by further collecting.
The silver-banded whiting's name is derived from the brilliant silvery longitudinal
band which runs from the base of the pectoral fin to the base of the caudal fin. The body is an overall dull silvery white, while the breast and operculum
are also a silvery colour. The upper portion of each dorsal spine and ray is sparsely dotted with black, while the other fins are hyaline
.
in the Western Central Pacific; Lumbucan Island in Palawan
, a province of the Philippines
. Nothing is known of the habitat
or biology of this species, and total contribution to local fisheries
is also unknown. A number of species of whiting are taken in the region as food and are commonly marketed under the title of 'asuhos', with the silver-banded whiting likely among them.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of inshore marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
of the smelt whiting family Sillaginidae
Sillaginidae
The Sillaginidae, commonly known as the smelt-whitings, whitings, sillaginids, sand borers and sand-smelts, are a family of benthic coastal marine fishes in the order Perciformes. The smelt-whitings inhabit a wide region covering much of the Indo-Pacific, from the west coast of Africa east to Japan...
that inhabits the coastline of a single province
Province
A province is a territorial unit, almost always an administrative division, within a country or state.-Etymology:The English word "province" is attested since about 1330 and derives from the 13th-century Old French "province," which itself comes from the Latin word "provincia," which referred to...
within the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The species' taxonomic status is still marginally uncertain, with the last major review of sillaginid fish by McKay proposing S. argentifasciata is a senior synonym
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
of a related species, S. ingenuua. The species takes its name from a brilliant silvery strip running laterally across its body.
Taxonomy and naming
The silver-banded whiting is a one of 29 speciesSpecies
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of the genus
Genus
In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...
Sillago
Sillago
Sillago is one of three genera in the family Sillaginidae containing the smelt-whitings, and contains 29 species, making Sillago the only non-monotypic genus in the family. Distinguishing among Sillago species can be difficult, with many similar in appearance and colour, forcing the use of swim...
, one of 3 genera in the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae
Sillaginidae
The Sillaginidae, commonly known as the smelt-whitings, whitings, sillaginids, sand borers and sand-smelts, are a family of benthic coastal marine fishes in the order Perciformes. The smelt-whitings inhabit a wide region covering much of the Indo-Pacific, from the west coast of Africa east to Japan...
, a division of the suborder Percoidei
Percoidei
Percoidei is one of eighteen suborders of bony fish in the order Perciformes. Many commercially harvested fish species are contained in this suborder, including the snappers, jacks, whitings, groupers, bass, perches and porgies.-Divisions:...
.
The species was first identified and named Sillago argentifasciata by Martin and Montalban in 1935 from the holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
specimen
Specimen
A specimen is a portion/quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study.BiologyA laboratory specimen is an individual animal, part of an animal, a plant, part of a plant, or a microorganism, used as a representative to study the properties of the whole population of that species or...
collected in the waters of Lumbucan Island in the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The common name 'silver-banded whiting' is derived from the longitudinal
Anatomical terms of location
Standard anatomical terms of location are designations employed in science that deal with the anatomy of animals to avoid ambiguities that might otherwise arise. They are not language-specific, and thus require no translation...
silver
Silver (color)
Silver is the metallic shade resembling gray, closest to that of polished silver.The visual sensation usually associated with the metal silver is its metallic shine. This cannot be reproduced by a simple solid color, because the shiny effect is due to the material's brightness varying with the...
band on the flank
Flank
Flank may refer to:* Flank, the side of either a horse or a military unit*Flanking maneuver in military tactics* Flank , the waveform edge formed when a signal goes high or low...
of the species. The holotype of the species was not examined by McKay in his comprehensive review of the Sillaginidae
Sillaginidae
The Sillaginidae, commonly known as the smelt-whitings, whitings, sillaginids, sand borers and sand-smelts, are a family of benthic coastal marine fishes in the order Perciformes. The smelt-whitings inhabit a wide region covering much of the Indo-Pacific, from the west coast of Africa east to Japan...
due to its destruction in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but he proposed that the species may be a senior synonym
Synonym (taxonomy)
In scientific nomenclature, a synonym is a scientific name that is or was used for a taxon of organisms that also goes by a different scientific name. For example, Linnaeus was the first to give a scientific name to the Norway spruce, which he called Pinus abies...
of S. ingenuua. However, he also noted that the species possessed a number of characters which distinguished it from its relatives and suggested further collecting was needed before the taxonomic status of the species was certain.
Description
Dorsal fin
A dorsal fin is a fin located on the backs of various unrelated marine and freshwater vertebrates, including most fishes, marine mammals , and the ichthyosaurs...
s. The species has a more curved ventral profile than most of its relatives however, and within its known range, this and the silver
Silver (color)
Silver is the metallic shade resembling gray, closest to that of polished silver.The visual sensation usually associated with the metal silver is its metallic shine. This cannot be reproduced by a simple solid color, because the shiny effect is due to the material's brightness varying with the...
y band may be enough to identify it in the field. More definitive characteristics are the dorsal and anal fins, with the first dorsal fin possessing 11 spines while the second dorsal contains one spine and 17 or 18 soft rays posterior to the spines. The anal fin has two spines followed by 17 soft rays. Like all smelt-whitings, its body is covered in ctenoid scales, with a lateral line
Lateral line
The lateral line is a sense organ in aquatic organisms , used to detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water. Lateral lines are usually visible as faint lines running lengthwise down each side, from the vicinity of the gill covers to the base of the tail...
scale count of 66, while the cheek has three rows of scales, those on the upper row cycloid, and on the lower two rows ctenoid. The vertebrae count and swim bladder morphology for the species is currently unknown, but may be revealed by further collecting.
The silver-banded whiting's name is derived from the brilliant silvery longitudinal
Anatomical terms of location
Standard anatomical terms of location are designations employed in science that deal with the anatomy of animals to avoid ambiguities that might otherwise arise. They are not language-specific, and thus require no translation...
band which runs from the base of the pectoral fin to the base of the caudal fin. The body is an overall dull silvery white, while the breast and operculum
Operculum (fish)
The operculum of a bony fish is the hard bony flap covering and protecting the gills. In most fish, the rear edge of the operculum roughly marks the division between the head and the body....
are also a silvery colour. The upper portion of each dorsal spine and ray is sparsely dotted with black, while the other fins are hyaline
Hyaline
The term hyaline denotes a substance with a glass-like appearance.-Histopathology:In histopathological medical usage, a hyaline substance appears glassy and pink after being stained with haematoxylin and eosin — usually it is an acellular, proteinaceous material...
.
Distribution and habitat
The silver-banded whiting is known only from a single islandIsland
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
in the Western Central Pacific; Lumbucan Island in Palawan
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
, a province of the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. Nothing is known of the habitat
Habitat
* Habitat , a place where a species lives and grows*Human habitat, a place where humans live, work or play** Space habitat, a space station intended as a permanent settlement...
or biology of this species, and total contribution to local fisheries
Fishery
Generally, a fishery is an entity engaged in raising or harvesting fish which is determined by some authority to be a fishery. According to the FAO, a fishery is typically defined in terms of the "people involved, species or type of fish, area of water or seabed, method of fishing, class of boats,...
is also unknown. A number of species of whiting are taken in the region as food and are commonly marketed under the title of 'asuhos', with the silver-banded whiting likely among them.