Joyce Hilario

BS Fisheries 2
Family
MUGILIDAE

Mullets or
Grey mullets
20 genera
78 species
Freshwater, Brakishwater, Seawater
Distribution: All tropical and temperate seas
Description:
Spinous and soft dorsal fins widely
separated.
Pelvic fins subabdominal.
Lateral line hardly visible.
Small triangular mouth
Toothless or teeth small.
Maximum length about 90 cm
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Mugiliformes
Genera:

Agonostomus

Aldrichetta

Cestraeus

Chaenomugil

Chelon

Crenimugil

Ellochelon

Joturus

Liza

Moolgarda

Mugil

Myxus

Neomyxus

Oedalechilus

Paramugil

Rhinomugil

Sicamugil

Trachystoma

Valamugil
Xenomugil

Chelon macrolepis

Max length : 60.0 cm
Greenish-grey dorsally;
flanks and abdomen silvery;
fins grey or bluish with dusky
margins and may appear
yellowish at base
Pectoral with golden base,
and perhaps a dark spot
With rudimentary axillary
scale.
Caught mainly during the
spawning season and is sold
fresh
Chelon subviridis

Max length : 40.0 cm
Dark greenish dorsally,
brownish over head, white
ventrally; 3-6 indistinct, dark
stripes along upper rows of
scales;
greyish dorsal fins;
caudal fin bluish with black
margin
Yellowish pectoral fin and
may have a blue spot at fin
origin
Chelon melinopterus

Max length : 30.0 cm
Olive-brown dorsally, silvery
or white ventrally
Distal margins of dorsal fins
and caudal fin dusky
No axillary scale on the
pectoral fins.
Ellochelon vaigiensis

Max length : 63.0 cm TL
Olive-brown dorsally, flanks
silvery, abdomen white or
suffused pale yellow
About 6 longitudinal stripes on
flanks formed by longitudinal
marks on scales;
scales also with darkened
margins giving slight chequered
appearance to flanks
Margins of fins dusky, otherwise
yellowish white
Caudal fin distinctly yellow
Pectoral fin completely black in
small fish; lower section
yellowish in adults
Mugil cephalus

Max length : 100.0 cm
Color olive-green dorsally,
sides silvery shading to white
ventrally;
lateral stripes sometimes
distinctive.
Lips thin.
Pectoral fins short
Well developed adipose
eyelid.
Anal spines 3 in adults; anal
soft rays 8 in adults, 9 in
larvae.
Females spawn 0.8 to 2.6
million eggs
Myxus elongatus

Max length : 40.0 cm TL
Dark olive-green or reddish
brown dorsally, greenish wash
on upper flanks, lower flanks
silvery
Gold blotch on operculum
Golden-yellow iris around
dark eye
Fins greenish brown, except
anal fin with white margin
Black spot at base of pectoral
fin
Moolgarda cunnesius

Max length : 41.0 cm TL
Color greenish-grey dorsally,
sides silvery.
Second dorsal and anal fin
with black margins
Posterior tip of upper jaw
hidden when mouth closed.
Pectoral fins 86-97% of head
length, reaching below origin
of first dorsal fin with axillary
scale nearly half the length of
fin.
Moolgarda engeli

Max length : 30.0 cm TL
Olive dorsally; flanks and
abdomen silvery;
fins hyaline
Pectoral fins with dark spot
dorsally at origin
Moolgarda seheli

Max length : 60.0 cm TL
Bluish brown or green dorsally;
flanks and abdomen silvery;
dusky spots on upper row of
scales, giving indistinct
longitudinal stripes
Dorsal and upper lobe of caudal
fin with dark-blue tip.
Anal, pelvic, and pectoral fins
yellow.
Pectorals also with dark blue
spot dorsally at origin
Pectoral-fin axil scale very long.
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Atheriniformes
14 genera
72 species
Freshwater, Brakishwater, Seawater
Tropical and temperate waters
Two widely separated dorsal fins.
Pectoral fins high on body
mouth small and terminal
Pelvic fins usually abdominal; scales relatively
large
vertebrae 32-60.
Feed on zooplankton.
Subfamily Atherininae
Atherina (five species)
Atherinason (monotypic)
Atherinosoma (two species)
Kestratherina (two species)
Leptatherina (two species)
Subfamily Atherinomorinae
Alepidomus (monotypic)
Atherinomorus (12 species)
Atherion (three species)
Hypoatherina (13 species)
Stenatherina (monotypic)
Teramulus (two species)
Subfamily Bleheratherininae
Bleheratherina (monotypic)
Subfamily Craterocephalinae
Craterocephalus (25 species)
Sashatherina (monotypic)

Atherinomorus
duodecimalis
Dorsal spine: 5 - 7
Dorsall soft rays: 9-11
Anal spine: 1
Anall soft rays: 11 14
The anus is 2 to 4 scales in front of the pelvic fin tips, rarely more
than 3 scales
Inhabits shallow coastal waters ;broadly distributed throughout
mangrove estuaries to the open coast
Occurs in schools along calm shorelines
Important as forage food species to larger commercial fish and as bait
fish
Atherinomorus
lacunosus

Max length : 25.0 cm
lateral process of premaxilla very low and wide;
upper margin of the dentary almost flat distally, posterior tip of
the upper jaw reaching to or beyond a vertical through anterior
margin of the pupil
small teeth on endopterygoids, not forming obvious ridges;
the anus is near or usually behind the posterior tip of the pelvic
fin
Reported to be mainly a nocturnal species
Preyed upon by sharks, tunas, long toms, and amberjacks which
swim alongside the school.
Slow moving and not well regarded as bait.
Hypoatherina
temminckii

Max length : 12.0 cm
Dorsall spine: 6 - 8
Dorsal soft rays: 8-10
Anal spine: 1
Anal soft rays: 11 14
Transparent and blue-green in color, silvery midlateral stripe
and abdomen
Two rows of pigment spots may be present below lateral
band

Class: Actinoterygii
Order: Perciformes
8 genera
43 species
Freshwater, Brakishwater, Seawater
Distribution: all tropical and subtropical seas.
Mouth inferior. Pectoral fin with 2 sections. Pectoral
filaments present. Spinous and soft dorsal fins far
apart. Pelvics subabdominal. Deeply forked caudal
fin. Vertebrae 24 or 25. Reaches 1.8 m maximum
length
Feed on benthic invertebrates of sandy to muddy
bottoms. Few species near reefs. Foodfishes. Assumed
to be pelagic spawners

Genera

Eleutheronema
Filimanus
Galeoides
Leptomelanosoma
Parapolynemus
Pentanemus
Polydactylus
Polynemus
Eleutheronema
tetradactylum

Max length : 200 cm TL
Pectoral filaments 4;
fin membranes vivid yellow
in life, except in large
specimens
Vomer with deciduous tooth
plates on both sides, except in
juveniles.
Posterior part of maxilla
deep, 3-4% of SL.
Short tooth plate extension
onto lateral surface of lower
jaw. 7-9% SL
Protandrous hermaphrodites
Polydactylus
microstomus
Max length : 25.0 cm TL
With 5 pectoral filaments;
Pectoral fin, rays short
Second dorsal spine long
Well-developed swim bladder.
A large black spot anteriorly on
lateral line
Posterior margin of maxilla
reaching to level of posterior
margin of adipose eyelid.
Lateral line squamation on
caudal fin unbranched,
extending to upper end of lower
caudal fin lobe
Polydactylus
plebeius

Max length : 45.0 cm
Golden, dusky olive brown
above, scale rows each with a
dark line; fins dusky
Body with 7 or 8 prominent
dark stripes along the
longitudinal scale rows above
lateral line and 7-9 faint
stripes below.
Pectoral fin rays unbranched;
4th or 5th pectoral filament
longest
Posterior margin of maxilla
reaching to level of posterior
margin of adipose eyelid
Polynemus
paradiseus

Max length : 23.0 cm TL
Long pectoral filament
Lives over sandy bottoms,
regularly entering freshwaters
during breeding season
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Clupeiformes
17 genera
145 species
Freshwater, Brakishwater, Marine
Distribution: Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans
Mouth inferior. Jaw teeth well developed to absent.
Gill rakers on lower limb of first arch 10-50 or more.
Branchiostegal rays 7-19. A silvery stripe down flanks.
Body translucent.
Luminescent organs noted in one species.
Mostly filter feeding on zooplankton
About 50 cm maximum length; most species below 15
cm.
17 GENERA:
Amazonsprattus
Anchovia
Cetengraulis
Encrasicholina
Jurengraulis
Lycothrissa
Pseudosetipinna
Setipinna
Thryssa

Anchoa
Anchovia
Cetengraulis
Encrasicholina
Jurengraulis
Lycothrissa
Pseudosetipinna
Setipinna

Max length : 8.0 cm
No dorsal spine and anal spine
Belly rounded with 5 or 6 sharp needle-like pre-pelvic scutes.
In life, a bright silver band on flank, with a thin blue line above; back
blue or grey.
Schooling species.
Occurs in estuarine and inshore waters.
Probably feeds mainly on planktonic crustaceans.
Encrasicholina devisi
Encrasicholina heteroloba
Oceanodromous
No dorsal and anal spine
Anal soft rays 14 - 16.
Belly rounded with 4 to 6 sharp needle-like pre-pelvic
scutes.
Anal fin short.
In life, a distinct blue upper edge to its lateral stripe and a
dull silver or grey band on flank, the back beige.


Encrasicholina punctifer
Max length : 13.0 cm
No dorsal and anal spine
Belly rounded with 3 to 6 sharp needle-like pre-pelvic
scutes.
Anal fin short, its origin behind base of last dorsal fin
ray
Ranks among the most important food (bait) for tuna
and other large pelagic fishes
Processed into nuoc-mam, a kind of fish pickle, in Indo-
China
Engraulis japonicus
Max length : 18.0 cm
dorsal soft rays: 12-14
Anal soft rays: 13 18
Have small spine-like pre-
pelvic scutes (usually 2 to 7
scutes)
Occurs in large schools near
the surface, mainly in coastal
waters but as far out as over
1,000 km from the shore.
Marketed fresh and salted,
processed into fishmeal and oil
Stolephorus commersonii
Anadromous
Max length : 10.0 cm
anal soft rays: 18 - 19.
Belly slightly rounded with 0-5 small needle-like pre-pelvic
scutes.
Body light transparent fleshy brown with a pair of dark
patches behind occiput, followed by a pair of lines to dorsal
fin origin.
Bears a silver stripe on flanks.
Stolephorus indicus
Max length : 15.5 cm
dorsal soft rays: 15-17;
Anal soft rays: 18 21
Belly with 2 to 6 small needle-like pre-pelvic scutes.
Body light transparent fleshy brown, with silver stripe
down flank; no dark pigment lines on back between
head and dorsal fin.
In Manila Bay, the Philippines, it migrates out into
deeper and more saline water to spawn, returning
inshore immediately thereafter
Stolephorus tri
Max length : 9.5 cm
Anal soft rays: 17 18
Belly with 6 or 7 small needle-like pre-pelvic scutes; a
small pre-dorsal spine and another spine on the
pelvic scute.
Anal fin short, with origin below about middle of
dorsal fin base.
A double pigment line on back both before and
behind dorsal fin.
Stolephorus waitei
Max length : 9.4 cm
Anal soft rays: 18 - 20.
Belly with 5 to 7 small needle-like pre-pelvic scutes.
Numerous black spots below level of eye and on tip
of lower jaw, a dark patch behind occiput.
Thryssa mystax
Max length : 15.5 cm
Anal soft rays:29 - 37.
Belly with 24 to 32 keeled scutes
Tip of snout on a level with eye center.
A dark blotch behind upper part of gill opening.

Key to order
Mugiliformes
Body rounded toward front, flattened side-to-side toward
rear; two spiny, well-apart fins on back; bottom fins well
behind side fins

Clupeiformes
Abdominal keel
Lack lateral line

Perciformes
Having spiny and soft dorsal and anal fin

Atheriformes
Members of the order usually have two dorsal fins, the first with
flexible spines, and ananal fin with one spine at the front. The lateral
line is typically weak or absent