Synonyms:
Bola Pama: Hamilton, 1822.
Sciaenoides Pama: Day, 1878; Day, 1889.
Pama pama: Fowler, 1933; Talwar, 1991; Weber and de Beaufort, 1936.
Common name: Jew fish, Croakers pama (English name).
Bangla name: Koi-bhola, Poa, Pama.
Taxonomic position:
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Osteichthyes
Order: Perciformes
Family: Sciaenidae
Genus: Pama
Species : P. pama
Morphological description:
Elongate, head ovoid, body tapering posteriorly. Snout rounded. Eyes circular, very small, situated at anterior part of head. Mouth is large and terminal. Dorsal fin is weekly notched and dorsal spines rather weak. Pectoral fins pointed, as long as head shorter in younger specimens. Second, third and forth spines of dorsal of equal height. Caudal is wedge-shaped. Scales are cycloid on head and ctenoid on body. Lateral line is on a raised row of scales becoming straight above the middle of the anal fin. Lateral line continued up to tip to caudal. Light brownish along back and white beneath. Fins are yellowish (Rahman, 2005).
Fin formula:
D. X, I/40-45, P1. 1/16, P2. I/5, A. II/7.
D1. 10, D2: 1/40-43, P1. 17, P2. 1/5, A. 2/7 (Bhuiyan, 1964).
D1. X, D2: I/40-43, P1. 17, P2. 1/5, A. 2/7-16 (Shafi and Quddus, 1982).
D. X, I/40-43, P1. 19, P2. I/5, A. II/7 (Rahman, 2005).
D. IX-X+I 40-45, P1. i 16, P2. I5, A. II 7 (Talwar and Jhingran, 2001).
Habit and habitat:
Found mainly in the estuaries and the Bay of Bengal. They enter rivers as far as the tide extends (Rahman, 2005; Bhuiyan, 1964). This specimen is collected form Padma river of Rajshahi point.
Economic importance:
This fish is highly esteemed as food (Bhuiyan, 1964). According to Basu and Gupta (1939), it contains 18.6% crude protein, 1.7% fat and 75% water. The air-bladder of these fishes may be extensively used for making isinglass (Bhuiyan, 1964).
Marketing status:
Market price is varied between 60-65 Tk/kg.
Reference:
Basu, K.P. and Gupta, K. 1939. “Biological value of proteins of some species of Bengal fish by nitrogen balance and growth methods. J. Indian. Chem. Soc. Calcutta, p. 543-548.
Bhuiyan, A.L. 1964. Fishes of Dacca. Asiatic Soc. Pakistan, Publ. No. 13, Dacca. pp. 105-106.
Day, F. 1878. Fishes of India. William Dowson and sons., London. p. 193.
Day, F. 1889. Fishes. Fauna. Brit. India. William Dowson and sons., London. II: p. 124.
Fowler, H.W. 1924. Notes and descriptions of Indian freshwater fishes. Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila. 12: p. 360.
Hamilton, F. 1822. Fishes of the Ganges. Archibald constable and company, Edinburgh. p. 79.
Rahman, A.K.A. 2005. Freshwater Fishes of Bangladesh. The Zoological Society of Bangladesh, Dhaka. pp. 328-329.
Talwar, P.K. and Jhingran, A.G. 2001. Inland Fishes of India and Adjacent countries. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi. 2: p. 862.
Weber, M. and de Beaufort, L.F. 1936. Fishes of the Indo-Autralian Archipelago. E.J. Brill. London. 7: p. 496.
Shafi, M. and Quddus, M.M.A. 1982. Bangladesher Matshaw Sampad (in Bengali). Dhaka. pp. 271-272.
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