The small-scale whiting (Sillago parvisquamis) (also known as the blue whiting), is a species of inshore marine fish of the smelt-whiting family Sillaginidae. The small-scale whiting is very similar in body shape and colour to other species in the genus Sillago, but is distinguished by having 12 or 13 spines in the first dorsal fin compared to 11 in all other species. The species is distributed through parts of the west Pacific Ocean including Japan, Taiwan, Korea and India, inhabiting the tidal flats of major estuaries. It is a benthic predator taking crustaceans, molluscs and annelids. Spawning in the species takes place from May to September, with peaks identified in June and July. The eggs and larvae have been extensively studied in order to distinguish them from the more abundant Sillago sihama. Minor fisheries exist for the small-scale whiting, although it is thought be endangered by habitat loss and pollutionIUCN. Taxonomy and naming The small-scale whiting is a member of the genus Sillago, which contain 29 other species. It is part of the family Sillaginidae which is a division of the Percoidei, a suborder of the Perciformes. The species was first scientifically described by Theodore Gill in 1861 in the first review of the sillaginid fishes; "Synopsis of the Sillaginoids". The type specimen was taken from the waters of Kanagawa, near Yokohama in Japan. There has only been one formal misidentification, made by Peter Forsskål in 1913 when he mistook the species for Sillago sihama. The name "small-scale whiting" is in reference to the species' smaller than average scales amongst the genus Sillago. Description The small-scale whiting is very similar in external appearance to many other members of the genus Sillago, which have a slightly compressed, elongate body tapering toward the terminal mouth. The dorsal fin is in two parts, the first made of feeble spines and the second of soft rays headed by a single feeble spine. The first dorsal fin has either 12 or 13 dorsal spines, a feature unique among Sillago which otherwise have 11 dorsal spines. The second dorsal fin has a single spine followed by 20 to 22 soft rays, while the anal fin has 2 spines and 22 or 24 soft rays. Other distinguishing features include 79 to 84 lateral line scales and 39 to 40 vertebrae, while the swimbladder morphology also is a highly distinguishing feature. The maximum known size of the species