Elops lacerta (Valenciennes);

West African ladyfish

Remarks: Synonymous with Elops congicus (Boulenger), E. lacerta was a rare and occasional catch in all our study areas. This species is distributed across marine and brackish waters from Mauritania to southern Angola. In Nigeria, it is known to inhabit Niger Delta and Cross River, particularly between James Island and Ikom. Elops lacerta is a spindle-shaped fish featuring a greyish-black back and pale fins. It has approximately 72–83 scales along the lateral line.