大型魚の被捕食魚となる。小魚や小型甲殻類を食べる。通常体長は10〜20cm,最大体長は27cm(Figueiredo and Menezes, 1978)。Ringuelet and Aramburu(1960)によりアルゼンチンに分布するとされているL. olidusは本種と同一種と考えられる。
(稲田伊史)
Material examined:
5 from Argentina (138.4-180.8 mm SL), FSFL EL 694; EM 75-01, 75-02, 75-03, 75-04.
Description:
D 13-14; A 26-28; P1 15-16; P2 8; GR 16-18+17-20=34-37.
HL 22.2-23.8% of SL; ED 4.5-4.9; BD 19.3-20.9; SN 4.1-4.6; IO 4.7-5.3; UJ 18.0-18.7; CP 8.2-9.0; P1L 17.4-18.1; P2L 8.9-9.1; PreD 53.5-56.2, PreA 62.5-64.7.
Body slender, moderately compressed, belly not sharply keeled, without a series of scutes. Dorsal fin originating near center of body. Anal fin origin situated below middle of dorsal fin base. Pelvic fin placed about midway between pectoral fin base and anal fin origin. Snout prominent but bluntly rounded. Eye large and far forward. Mouth very large; hind tip of maxilla sharply pointed, extending backward beyond articulation of lower jaw, reaching to posterior margin of preopercle. Teeth in lower jaw enlarged, widely spaced, canine-like, forming one series. Scales thin and deciduous, cycloid. Gill-rakers slender and numerous, a few short gill-rakers present on inner face of upper limb of 3rd gill arch. Upper part of body greyish blue. Young with a silvery lateral band. A short arc of dark spots on upper part of opercle; fins yellowish, their membranes translucent, caudal margin balckish.
Distribution:
From Venezuela, Trinidad in the Carribean Sea, through coast of Brazil, to northern Argentina (Mouth of La Plata). Coastal waters to depths of 35 m, sometimes entering brackish and fresh waters (Hildebrand, 1963; Whitehead, 1973).
Remarks:
A predatory species, feeding on small fishes, and crustaceans. Usually 10-20 cm, maximum 27 cm SL (Figueiredo and Menezes, 1978). L. olidus, referred to as an Argentine species by Ringuelet and Aramburu (1960), is considered to be a junior synonym.
(Tadashi INADA)
Distribution of Lycengraulis grossidens in Patagonia.