PORT PHILLIP BAY


Yelloweye Mullet 

Aldrichetta forsteri (Valenciennes, 1836)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: IV; I, 9
Anal fin spines/rays: III, 12-13
Caudal fin rays: 14
Pectoral fin rays: 14-15
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Order level detail.
Small to medium-sized fishes with slender robust bodies, a small, broad head, a short snout with a small terminal mouth, and eyes often partly covered adipose tissue. Mullets have two separate short-based dorsal fins of similar size, pectoral fins set high on the body, large scales and no lateral line.

Family level detail.
Slender, robust fishes with a small, broad head, a short snout with a small terminal mouth and eyes often partly covered adipose tissue. They have two separate short-based dorsal fins of similar size, pectoral fins set high on the body, large scales and no lateral line. The family contains more than 70 species.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Mugiliformes
Family:
Mugilidae
Genus:
Aldrichetta
Species:
forsteri

General Description

Body moderately deep, elongate, somewhat compressed, with two short-based dorsal fins, a broad head, a short pointed snout and a small mouth. Greenish-brown above, sides silvery, pale below; iris bright yellow. To 44 cm.

Biology

The most common mullet in southern Australia, often seen in large surface schools along the coast. They feed on detritus and plankton.

Habitat

In bays, estuaries and along the coast over sandy bottoms and in seagrass areas, in depths of 0-10 m.

Soft substrates

Seagrass meadows

Open water

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Mullets

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

Midwater Surface

Max Size

44 cm

Diet

Omnivore

Commercial Species

Yes

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Yelloweye Mullet, Aldrichetta forsteri, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 27 Jul 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/6330

Text: creative commons cc by licence