CONTENTS
Flora index
Fauna index
guide to the mangroves of singapore
Vertebrates: Fish
Peter K L Ng and N Sivasothi (editors)
  Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5

The organically rich mangrove ecosystem supports over 150 species of fish. It is also a nursery ground for many commercially important fish species. The reader is advised to read "A Guide to Comrnon Marine Fishes of Singapore" in the Science Centre series of books for more information.
close-up of mullet
Mullets
Family Mugilidae
Size: around 40 cm
Mullets tend to travel in groups and are recognised by their flat dorsal surface, blunt snout and a pair of large pectoral fins. They feed mainly on algae and microorganisms.

close-up of tamban Tamban
Sardinelia sp.
Family Clupeidae
Size: around 14 cm
A type of herring, the Tamban travels in large schools and feeds on zooplankton.

close-up of tropical silverside Tropical silverside
Atherinomorus duodecimalis
Family Atherinidae
Size: up to 10 cm
Also congregating in the hundreds, they sometimes leap out of the water to escape from predators.

close-up of sea bass Sea bass
Lates calcarifer
Family Centropomidae
Size: up to 100 cm
close-up of orange spotted grouper Orange-spotted grouper
Epinephelus coioides
Family Serranidae
Size: up to 100 cm
Both the Sea bass and Orange-spotted grouper are predators. Although they occur naturally locally, these familiar table fish are also raised commercially in fish cages from fingerlings imported from neighbouring countries.

<<Back to fishes
What is mangrove?
Introduction

The Ecosystem
Abiotic
Biotic

Value
Intro
Products
Indirect uses
Potential uses

About Mangroves
in Singapore
History
Mangroves to visit
Conservation
 
From "A Guide to Mangroves of Singapore", Peter K. L. Ng and N. Sivasothi (editors)
Volume 1: The Ecosystem and Plant Diversity and Volume 2: Animal Diversity
Authors: Kelvin K. P. Lim, Dennis H. Murphy, T. Morgany, N. Sivasothi, Peter K. L. Ng,
B. C. Soong, Hugh T. W. Tan, K. S. Tan & T. K. Tan
BP Guide to Nature Series published by the Singapore Science Centre, sponsored by British Petroleum
© 2001 Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, The National University of Singapore & The Singapore Science Centre