Pinkeye mullet

The pinkeye mullet (Trachystoma petardi), also known simply as pinkeye, or freshwater mullet, Richmond mullet, or river mullet,[2] is a species of ray-finned fish from the grey mullet family Mugilidae and the only species in the genus Trachystoma.[3][4] It is endemic to northeastern Australia where it occurs from the Burnett River in Queensland to the Clyde River in New South Wales. It is a subtropical species which is found in deep, slow flowing sections of rivers as well as in estuaries although it moves into coastal seas to spawn. It feeds mainly on algae and plant material, as well as detritus and benthic invertebrates.[2]

Pinkeye mullet
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Mugiliformes
Family: Mugilidae
Genus: Trachystoma
Ogilby, 1888[1]
Species:
T. petardi
Binomial name
Trachystoma petardi
(Castelnau, 1875)
Synonyms
  • Mugil petardi Castelnau, 1875
  • Myxus petardi (Castelnau, 1875)
  • Mugil breviceps Steindachner, 1866
  • Trachystoma multidens Ogilby, 1888
  • Myxus multidens (Ogilby, 1888)
  • Mugil parviceps Waite, 1904

The pinkeye mullet was originally described by Francis de Laporte de Castelnau in 1875 as Mugil petardi. The specific name honours a Mr Petard who sent Castelnau specimens of fishes he collected in the Richmond River in New South Wales; these included the type of this species.[5]

It is a dark greenish-brown mullet with a silvery belly and pale yellowish fins. It has a body which is deep and robust with a small mouth and small eyes. It grows to up to 80 centimetres (31 in) in standard length, although 40 centimetres (16 in) is more usual.[2]

References
  1. Eschmeyer, W. N.; R. Fricke & R. van der Laan (eds.). "Trachystoma". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  2. Martin F. Gomon. "Trachystoma petardi". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 4 Nov 2018.
  3. "Fish Identification: Find Species: Genus: Trachystoma". www.fishbase.de. FishBase. Retrieved 2018-11-04.
  4. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2018). "Trachysoma petardi" in FishBase. April 2018 version.
  5. Christopher Scharpf & Kenneth J. Lazara (4 June 2018). "Mugiliformes". The ETYFish Project Fish Name Etymology Database. Christopher Scharpf and Kenneth J. Lazara. Retrieved 26 October 2018.
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