''Leiognathus'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

of marine

ray-finned fish Actinopterygii (; ), members of which are known as ray-finned fishes, is a class of bony fish. They comprise over 50% of living vertebrate species. The ray-finned fishes are so called because their fins are webs of skin supported by bony or hor ...

es,

ponyfish Leiognathidae, the ponyfishes, slipmouths or slimys / slimies, are a small family of fishes in the order Perciformes. They inhabit marine and brackish waters in the Indian and West Pacific Oceans. They can be used in the preparation of ''bagoong' ...

es from the

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

Leiognathidae Leiognathidae, the ponyfishes, slipmouths or slimys / slimies, are a small family of fishes in the order Perciformes. They inhabit marine and brackish waters in the Indian and West Pacific Oceans. They can be used in the preparation of ''bagoong' ...

. They are native to the

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by th ...

and the western

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

. They are sometimes known as silverbellies.

Species

There are currently 7 recognized species in this genus: * '' Leiognathus berbis'' (

Valenciennes Valenciennes (, also , , ; nl, label=also Dutch, Valencijn; pcd, Valincyinnes or ; la, Valentianae) is a commune in the Nord department, Hauts-de-France, France. It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced a s ...

, 1835) (Berber ponyfish) * '' Leiognathus brevirostris'' (

, 1835) (Shortnose ponyfish) * '' Leiognathus equulus'' ( Forsskål, 1775) (Common ponyfish) * '' Leiognathus longispinis'' (

, 1835) (Longspine ponyfish) * '' Leiognathus parviceps'' (

, 1835) * '' Leiognathus robustus'' Sparks & Dunlap, 2004 * '' Leiognathus striatus'' P. S. B. R. James & Badrudeen, 1991

References

Leiognathidae Taxa named by Bernard Germain de Lacépède Fish of the Indian Ocean Fish of the Pacific Ocean Bioluminescent fish {{Perciformes-stub