Osteomugil speigleri (Bleeker, 1858)
Speigler's mullet
photo by FAO

Family:  Mugilidae (Mullets)
Max. size:  35 cm TL (male/unsexed); max. reported age: 4 years
Environment:  demersal; freshwater; brackish; marine, catadromous
Distribution:  Indo-West Pacific: Pakistan through Southeast Asia to New Guinea. Elsewhere extending to the Chinese coast.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 4-4; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 9-9. Greenish dorsally; flanks and abdomen silvery (Ref. 9812). First dorsal fin with black margin, other fins dusky (Ref. 9812). Pectoral fins with dark spot dorsally at origin (Ref. 9812).
Biology:  A shallow-water, schooling species which enters estuaries and freshwaters. Spawn at sea. Juveniles may be found in rice fields and mangrove swamps (Ref. 9812). Feed on small algae, diatoms, and other organic matter, both living and detrital, taken in with sand and mud. Fries feed on copepods and floating algae. Oviparous, eggs are pelagic and non-adhesive (Ref. 205). Marketed fresh, boiled (Thailand), canned or frozen (Australia); roe marketed salted (Ref. 9812).
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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