Soringa whiting
Encyclopedia
The Soringa whiting, Sillago soringa (also known simply as Soringa or Soringa sillago), is a poorly known species
of coastal marine
fish
of the smelt-whiting family, Sillaginidae
. The Soringa whiting is known exclusively from the east coast of India
, inhabiting shallow inshore environments, particularly sand
y substrates
. S. soringa was first described in 1982 by Dutt and Sujatha, with the taxonomic
status of the species was questioned by Roland McKay in his review of the Sillaginidae, with similar features to S. asiatica
suggesting it is a senior synonym of the latter.
in the genus
Sillago
, which is one of three divisions of the smelt whiting family
Sillaginidae
. The smelt-whitings are Perciformes
in the suborder Percoidea
.
The species was first scientifically described by S. Dutt and J. Sujatha in 1982 based on a specimen taken from the western Bay of Bengal
(near the Indian city of Visakhapatnam
), which was later designated to be the holotype
. The specimen was accidentally caught whilst carrying out a taxonomic study on ladyfish in the region, with a minitrawler being used to sample the area. Whilst reviewing the Sillaginidae, Roland McKay was unable to examine the holotype, but concedes S. soringa is very similar to S. asiatica morphologically, and is probably synonymous
. McKay described S. asiatica in 1983, while S. soringa was described in 1982, thus giving it preference and rendering S. asiatica a junior synonym. Without the holotype, however, McKay retained both species pending further detailed studies on the species. The species is commonly referred to as 'Soringa whiting', 'Soringa sillago' or simply 'Soringa', the name given to the fish on the Indian coast, and from which the specific name of the fish is derived.
, with the Soringa whiting no exception. The species has a slightly compressed, elongate body tapering toward the terminal mouth
, with a concave-up dorsal profile and a straight ventral profile. The maximum reported size for the Soringa whiting is 15 cm.
The fin
anatomy is highly useful for identification purposes, with the species having 11 spines in the first dorsal fin
, with one spine and 21 soft rays on the second dorsal fin. The anal fin has two spines with 22 soft rays posterior to the spines. The pectoral fins have 15-16 soft rays while the ventral fin consists of a single spine and 5 soft rays. Lateral line
scale
s and cheek scales are also distinctive, with Soringa whiting possessing 64 to 68 lateral line scales and cheek scales positioned in 2 rows, the upper cycloid and the lower ctenoid. The rest of the body is covered in ctenoid scales. The amount of vertebrae is also diagnostic, having 34 in total. The swimbladder is the major distinguishing feature, being lancolate with a single median finger like extensions and a pair of recurved anterior extensions each side. There is a single post coelomic extension, and a central blind tubular duct arising in on the ventral side of the swimbladder.
The Soringa whiting is a gray brown
on the dorsal and upper flanks, becoming paler laterally, while the lower flanks and ventral surface are a milky white
. Small discrete black spots populate the anterior dorsal fin membrane, becoming more numerous toward the anterior half of the fin. The soft dorsal fin has a continuous grey band, running parallel to and close to the anterior edge of each ray. The membrane of the anal fin has similar black dots to the dorsal, but to a lesser extent. The pectoral fin and ventral fins are golden
to hyaline
while the caudal fin is hyaline with black dots.
and thus only from a small area of the Indian Ocean
. Is likely the range of the species may be greater than this however, due to confusion with S. asiatica
and S. sihama
, resulting in the small reported range.
Soringa whiting, like most sillaginids is an inshore species and is known to inhabit sand
y substrates
at 5 to 30 m depth. Researchers studying digenean parasites on sillaginids have noted S. soringa, S. lutea
and S. indica
show seasonal migrations where the juveniles occur in shallow coastal waters during winter months and move offshore
during summer. Nothing else is known of the species biology or ecology
. Due to confusion with other species, its contribution to local fisheries
is unknown, possibly being locally important.
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 coastal 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...
. The Soringa whiting is known exclusively from the east coast of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, inhabiting shallow inshore environments, particularly sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
y substrates
Substrate (marine biology)
Stream substrate is the material that rests at the bottom of a stream. There are several classification guides. One is:*Mud – silt and clay.*Sand – Particles between 0.06 and 2 mm in diameter.*Granule – Between 2 and 4 mm in diameter....
. S. soringa was first described in 1982 by Dutt and Sujatha, with the taxonomic
Taxonomy
Taxonomy is the science of identifying and naming species, and arranging them into a classification. The field of taxonomy, sometimes referred to as "biological taxonomy", revolves around the description and use of taxonomic units, known as taxa...
status of the species was questioned by Roland McKay in his review of the Sillaginidae, with similar features to S. asiatica
Asian whiting
The Asian whiting, Sillago asiatica, is a species inshore marine fish in the smelt whiting family, Sillaginidae, distributed along the Asian coastline from the Gulf of Thailand to Taiwan. The Asian whiting's appearance is very similar to other closely related species in the genus Sillago, with swim...
suggesting it is a senior synonym of the latter.
Taxonomy and naming
The Soringa whiting is 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...
in 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...
, which is one of three divisions of the smelt whiting family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by 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...
. The smelt-whitings are Perciformes
Perciformes
The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, is one of the largest orders of vertebrates, containing about 40% of all bony fish. Perciformes means perch-like. They belong to the class of ray-finned fish and comprise over 7,000 species found in almost all aquatic environments...
in the suborder Percoidea
Percoidea
Percoidea is a superfamily of fish of the order Perciformes....
.
The species was first scientifically described by S. Dutt and J. Sujatha in 1982 based on a specimen taken from the western Bay of Bengal
Bay of Bengal
The Bay of Bengal , the largest bay in the world, forms the northeastern part of the Indian Ocean. It resembles a triangle in shape, and is bordered mostly by the Eastern Coast of India, southern coast of Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to the west and Burma and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to the...
(near the Indian city of Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam
Visakhapatnam is a major sea port on the south east coast of India. With a population of approximately 1.7 million, it is the second largest city in the state of Andhra Pradesh and the third largest city on the east coast of India after Kolkata and Chennai. According to the history, the city was...
), which was later designated to be 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...
. The specimen was accidentally caught whilst carrying out a taxonomic study on ladyfish in the region, with a minitrawler being used to sample the area. Whilst reviewing the Sillaginidae, Roland McKay was unable to examine the holotype, but concedes S. soringa is very similar to S. asiatica morphologically, and is probably synonymous
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...
. McKay described S. asiatica in 1983, while S. soringa was described in 1982, thus giving it preference and rendering S. asiatica a junior synonym. Without the holotype, however, McKay retained both species pending further detailed studies on the species. The species is commonly referred to as 'Soringa whiting', 'Soringa sillago' or simply 'Soringa', the name given to the fish on the Indian coast, and from which the specific name of the fish is derived.
Description
The smelt-whitings are all very similar in their body morphology and external anatomyAnatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
, with the Soringa whiting no exception. The species has a slightly compressed, elongate body tapering toward the terminal mouth
Mouth
The mouth is the first portion of the alimentary canal that receives food andsaliva. The oral mucosa is the mucous membrane epithelium lining the inside of the mouth....
, with a concave-up dorsal profile and a straight ventral profile. The maximum reported size for the Soringa whiting is 15 cm.
The fin
Fin
A fin is a surface used for stability and/or to produce lift and thrust or to steer while traveling in water, air, or other fluid media, . The first use of the word was for the limbs of fish, but has been extended to include other animal limbs and man-made devices...
anatomy is highly useful for identification purposes, with the species having 11 spines in the first dorsal fin
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...
, with one spine and 21 soft rays on the second dorsal fin. The anal fin has two spines with 22 soft rays posterior to the spines. The pectoral fins have 15-16 soft rays while the ventral fin consists of a single spine and 5 soft rays. 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
Scale (zoology)
In most biological nomenclature, a scale is a small rigid plate that grows out of an animal's skin to provide protection. In lepidopteran species, scales are plates on the surface of the insect wing, and provide coloration...
s and cheek scales are also distinctive, with Soringa whiting possessing 64 to 68 lateral line scales and cheek scales positioned in 2 rows, the upper cycloid and the lower ctenoid. The rest of the body is covered in ctenoid scales. The amount of vertebrae is also diagnostic, having 34 in total. The swimbladder is the major distinguishing feature, being lancolate with a single median finger like extensions and a pair of recurved anterior extensions each side. There is a single post coelomic extension, and a central blind tubular duct arising in on the ventral side of the swimbladder.
The Soringa whiting is a gray brown
Brown
Brown is a color term, denoting a range of composite colors produced by a mixture of orange, red, rose, or yellow with black or gray. The term is from Old English brún, in origin for any dusky or dark shade of color....
on the dorsal and upper flanks, becoming paler laterally, while the lower flanks and ventral surface are a milky white
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
. Small discrete black spots populate the anterior dorsal fin membrane, becoming more numerous toward the anterior half of the fin. The soft dorsal fin has a continuous grey band, running parallel to and close to the anterior edge of each ray. The membrane of the anal fin has similar black dots to the dorsal, but to a lesser extent. The pectoral fin and ventral fins are golden
Golden
Golden means made of, or relating to gold.Golden can refer to:-Philosophy:*Golden mean , the felicitous middle between the extremes of excess and deficiency-Geography:Canada*Golden, British Columbia...
to 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...
while the caudal fin is hyaline with black dots.
Distribution and habitat
The Soringa whiting is currently only known from the east coast of IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and thus only from a small area of the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
. Is likely the range of the species may be greater than this however, due to confusion with S. asiatica
Asian whiting
The Asian whiting, Sillago asiatica, is a species inshore marine fish in the smelt whiting family, Sillaginidae, distributed along the Asian coastline from the Gulf of Thailand to Taiwan. The Asian whiting's appearance is very similar to other closely related species in the genus Sillago, with swim...
and S. sihama
Northern whiting
The northern whiting, Sillago sihama , is a marine fish, the most widespread and abundant member of the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The northern whiting was the first species of sillaginid scientifically described and is therefore the type species of both the family Sillaginidae and the...
, resulting in the small reported range.
Soringa whiting, like most sillaginids is an inshore species and is known to inhabit sand
Sand
Sand is a naturally occurring granular material composed of finely divided rock and mineral particles.The composition of sand is highly variable, depending on the local rock sources and conditions, but the most common constituent of sand in inland continental settings and non-tropical coastal...
y substrates
Substrate (marine biology)
Stream substrate is the material that rests at the bottom of a stream. There are several classification guides. One is:*Mud – silt and clay.*Sand – Particles between 0.06 and 2 mm in diameter.*Granule – Between 2 and 4 mm in diameter....
at 5 to 30 m depth. Researchers studying digenean parasites on sillaginids have noted S. soringa, S. lutea
Mud whiting
The mud whiting, Sillago lutea, is a species of coastal marine fish in the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The mud whiting was first described in 1985 and is currently known from the north west coast of Australia and the Indian coast....
and S. indica
Indian whiting
The Indian whiting, Sillago indica, is a poorly known species of coastal marine fish of the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The species was named in 1985, having previously being misidentified as another species of Sillago, S. parvisquamis. The Indian whiting inhabits the east and west coasts of...
show seasonal migrations where the juveniles occur in shallow coastal waters during winter months and move offshore
Shore
A shore or shoreline is the fringe of land at the edge of a large body of water, such as an ocean, sea, or lake. In Physical Oceanography a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water past and present, while the beach is at the edge of the shore,...
during summer. Nothing else is known of the species biology or ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
. Due to confusion with other species, its 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 unknown, possibly being locally important.