| Sinarapan | |
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Gobiidae |
| Genus: | Misthicthys |
| Species: | M. luzonensis |
| Binomial name | |
| Mistichthys luzonensis Smith, 1902 |
|
The sinarapan (Mistichthys luzonensis) is the world's smallest commercially harvested fish located in the Philippines. They are endemic to the Bicol Region, specifically in Lake Buhi, Lake Bato, Bicol River and other bodies of water in Camarines Sur province.
Sinarapan are a type of goby and they are transparent, except for the black eyes. The fish have an average length of 12.5 millimeters. Males are smaller than females.
Today, the sinarapan are threatened with extinction due to overfishing. In Africa however, Sinarapan can also be found plentifully in Ghana in the Volta River. It is harvested in commercial quantities and is source of livelihood to many fisher folks who live along the banks of the river. It is fancifully referred to as one-mouth-thousand (implying that one mouth can carry about one thousand of sinarapan at a time due to their tininess). To many Ghanaians, sinarapan is a delicacy and it goes very well with a local dish called abolo.