An account of Ichthyofauna of Digha coast, West Bengal Author Yennawar, Prasanna Author Mohapatra, Anil Author Tudu, Prasad Chandra text Records of the Zoological Survey of India 2017 2017-08-01 117 1 4 4 http://dx.doi.org/10.26515/rzsi/v117/i1/2017/117289 journal article 297329 10.26515/rzsi/v117/i1/2017/117289 65429756-07df-406f-a2d0-cba02bf2bfe1 2581-8686 10913757 18. Parastromateus niger (Bloch, 1795) Black pompfret (Figure 19) Materials examined : 1 ex. , 16.04.2011 ; Mohana , Digha ; Reg No. MARC /ZSI/F1764 . Description : Body deep and compressed; dorsal and ventral profiles of body strongly and equally convex. Mouth terminal with upper jaw unrestricted dorsally and ending below and slightly before anterior margin of eye; both jaws with a single row of small conical teeth; gill openings unrestricted laterally and ventrally. Pelvic fins absent in specimens larger than about 10 cm fork length. Lateral line very weakly arched anteriorly, with junction of straight and curved parts below posterior third of dorsal fin; straight part of lateral line with 8 to 19 weak scutes, forming a slight keel on caudal peduncle; scales small and deciduous, and almost completely covering dorsal and anal fins. Colour uniformly silvery-grey to bluish-brown (yellowish-brown when deciduous scales are missing); fins with dark edges. Young with dark vertical bars and long black jugular pelvic fins. Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: East Africa to southern Japan and Australia . Remarks : The fish has high commercial value. Size: 55 cm .