©maractwin on iNaturalist: Golden Spadefish (Platax boersii), Manggarai, Nusa Tenggara Timur, Indonesia
Distinguishing features
Juveniles have extremely elongate vertical fins and closely resemble juvenile Platax teira, but tend to be lighter with a silvery hue.
Adults have smoothly rounded head profile like P. orbicularis, but usually have golden hue and lack small black spots. Adults (above 18 cm) are a yellowish silvery colour, usually with small, scattered black spots on body, a dark bar through the eye, and another bar just behind the head.
The median fins are yellowish green. The anal-fin margin and rear margin of the caudal fin are black. The pelvic fins are black.
Small juveniles are yellowish brown or silvery, with 2 black bars as in adults. The rear third of their body is blackish, the black colour continued onto dorsal and anal fins, and the front of the black zone on body often closely precede by a narrow faint dark bar. The caudal fin is transparent except for its black base. (Fishbase)
Size
- Up to 40 cm (Total Length)
Depth range
- From 1 m to 50 m
Synonyms
Distribution and habitat preferences
They are found in the indo-West Pacific: through Indonesia (including Mentawai Islands), New Guinea, and Philippines. (Fishbase)
