Parascolopsis inermis

Parascolopsis inermis has 10 spines and 9 soft rays supporting the dorsal fin while the anal fin is supported by 3 spines and 7 soft rays. The scales on the crown extend forward to the intraorbital region. The rear margin of the preoperculum has a slight slope towards the front. The lower limb of preoperculum has no scales. The rear edge of the suborbital is finely serrated and has a tiny spine at its upper angle. The pectoral fins are long, extending as far as or past the level of the anus. The pelvic fins are also long, extending as far as or near to the level of anus.^[2] The depth of the body fits 2.6 to 2.9 times into its standard length and length of the snout is around equal to or slightly less than the diameter of the eye. The overall colour of the body is pale yellow, shading to silver ventrally. There are 4 wide dark reddish vertical bars along the back with light coloured bars in the spaces between the dark bars. The dorsal fin is yellowish with red spots.^[6] This species has a maximum published standard length of 18 cm (7.1 in), although 12 cm (4.7 in) is more typical.^[2]

Parascolopsis inermis is found in the Indian and Pacific Oceans from the Laccadive Islands and Sri Lanka east to southern Japan and the South China Sea^[2] and south to northwestern Australia and the Coral Sea.^[7] This species is found at depths between 60 and 131 m (197 and 430 ft) in offshore waters over sandy or muddy substrates, typically in small schools.^[2]

• Russell, B.C., 1990. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 12. Nemipterid fishes of the world. (Threadfin breams, whiptail breams, monocle breams, dwarf monocle breams, and coral breams). Family Nemipteridae. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of nemipterid species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(12):149p. Rome: FAO