Animalia Life

Rhinomugil nasutus
FAMILY
Mugilidae
TAXONOMY
Mugil nasutus De Vis, 1883, Cardwell, Rockingham Bay, Queensland, Australia.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
English: Mud mullet.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
Reaches 12.6 in (32 cm) in fork length. The shark mullet looks unlike other mullets, because the eyes are positioned high, toward the top of the head, which is concave between the eyes. Nostrils are placed low on the snout, which projects beyond the upper lip. Teeth on both lips are small and spatulate. The anal fin has three spines and eight soft rays in adults. There are 28–30 scales in a longitudinal series along flanks. Body is slate gray dorsally and silvery laterally and ventrally; the fins are yellowish.
DISTRIBUTION
Tropical Australia and New Guinea.
HABITAT
Usually occurs in muddy freshwaters and coastal water habitats, such as mangroves.
BEHAVIOR
Swims in schools at the water surface, with the eyes and snout exposed. Apparently capable of breathing air and wriggling for short distances over mud banks.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Feeds on muddy substrates and may feed on algae and insects at the water surface.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Little is known.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
No reported fisheries data. Species of Rhinomugil (usually Rhinomugil corsula) are sold in the aquarium trade, because of their similarity to species of four-eyed fish (Anableps).

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