Protosalanx

{{Short description|Genus of fishes}}

{{Automatic_taxobox

| name =

| image = Clearhead icefish, Protosalanx hyalocranius.jpg

| image_caption = Protosalanx hyalocranius

| taxon = Protosalanx

| authority = Regan, 1908

}}

Protosalanx is a small genus of icefishes that are native to China, Korea and Vietnam where they primarily inhabit coastal waters and nearby fresh waters. They are commercially fished and used for aquaculture in China, where also introduced to some inland waters like Lake Dianchi.{{FishBase genus | genus = Protosalanx | month = March | year = 2019}}{{cite journal | author1=Liu, K. |display-authors=etal | year=2017 | title=Whole genome sequencing of Chinese clearhead icefish, Protosalanx hyalocranius | journal=GigaScience | volume=6 |issue=4 | pages=1–6 | doi=10.1093/gigascience/giw012 | pmc=5530312 | pmid=28327943 }} In addition to being eaten locally in Asia, they are exported to southern Europe as a replacement of the more expensive transparent goby, a Mediterranean species used in the local cuisine. This replacement is often done openly, but sometimes it is done fraudulently.{{cite journal | author1=Armani, A. | author2=Castigliego, L. | author3=Tinacci, L. | author4=Gianfaldoni, D. | author5=Guidi, A. | year=2011 | title=Molecular characterization of icefish, (Salangidae family), using direct sequencing of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene | journal=Food Control | volume=22 | issue=6 | pages=888–895 | doi=10.1016/j.foodcont.2010.11.020 }}

Protosalanx are up to {{cvt|22.5|cm}} in standard length, have a transparent body and largely lack scales. They are open-water fish. Small Protosalanx mostly feed on zooplankton, but larger individuals also take small fish, including cannibalism of young of their own species.{{cite iucn |author=Huckstorf, V. |year=2012 |title=Protosalanx chinensis |volume=2012 |page=e.T180684A1651584 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012-1.RLTS.T180684A1651584.en |access-date=3 July 2024}}{{cite journal | author1=Tang, F.J. | author2=Liu, W. | author3=Wang, J.L. | author4=Li, Z. | author5=Xie, S.G. | year=2013 | title=Diet composition and transition of clearhead icefish (Protosalanx hyalocranius) in Lake Xingkai | journal=Zoological Research | volume=34 | issue=5 | pages=493–498 | pmid=24115662 }} They are naturally anadromous, with adults migrating from their coastal sea habitat into estuaries to spawn and the juveniles returning to the coastal sea. However, some of the introduced populations have been able to adapt their life cycle and always stay in fresh water.

The scientific name is derived from proto (Greek proto = first) and the latinization of salamga, Filipino for a kind of swallow.{{FishBase | genus = Protosalanx | species = hyalocranius | month = March | year = 2019}}