Ichthyofauna of Sungai Merbok Mangrove Forest Reserve, northwest Peninsular Malaysia, and its adjacent marine waters Author Zainal Abidin, Danial Hariz Author Lavoué, Sébastien Author Mohd Abu Hassan Alshari, Norli Fauzani Author Mohd. Nor, Siti Azizah Author A. Rahim, Masazurah Author Mohammed Akib, Noor Adelyna text Check List 2021 2021-04-06 17 2 601 631 http://dx.doi.org/10.15560/17.2.601 journal article 10.15560/17.2.601 1809-127X Escualosa thoracata (Valenciennes, 1847) Figure 3C Material examined. MALAYSIA • 5, 91– 101 mm TL; Kedah State , Kuala Kedah , Kuala Muda Whispering Market ; 05.578°N , 100.341°E ; 6 Dec. 2018 ; Danial H. Zainal Abidin , Norli F.M.A.H. Alshari leg.; USMFC (5) 00003 . Identification. A small species of Clupeidae (maximum TL about 100 mm ); body relatively deep, strongly compressed and fully keeled from isthmus to anus (scutes 28–30); mouth small, upward; last dorsal fin ray not fila- mentous; lower gill rakers 16–25 (on first gill arch); body light greyish/greenish with a large (i.e., 1½ larger than eye diameter) silver lateral stripe on flanks, from the opercular margin to caudal fin base; paired lines of mela- nophores along back, from occiput to caudal fin base; fins mostly translucent; caudal fin with black margin (White- head 1985). Escualosa thoracata can be distinguished from other clupeids occurring in the Merbok river estuary by the presence of large silver lateral stripe on flanks. Escualosa thoracata is a predominantly coastal marine species and a common species of Clupeidae caught in brackish ecosystems of this region (e.g., Tongnunui et al. 2002 ). Otherwise, distributed in the Indo-West Pacific region, from India to Australia ( Whitehead 1985 ).