The diamond mullet (Planiliza alata), is a species of mullet and is also known as the Ord River mullet. This species lives in both brackish or freshwater. Adult fish are found in estuaries, coastal waters and in some cases, ascending rivers into fresh water.[2][3]

Diamond mullet
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Mugiliformes
Family: Mugilidae
Genus: Planiliza
Species:
P. alata
Binomial name
Planiliza alata
(Steindachner, 1892)
Synonyms
  • Mugil alatus Steindachner, 1892
  • Chelon alatus (Steindachner, 1892)
  • Liza alata (Steindachner, 1892)
  • Mugil diadema Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911
  • Liza diadema (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911)
  • Pteromugil diadema (Gilchrist & Thompson, 1911)
  • Moolgarda ordensis Whitley, 1945

Description

edit

This mullet is silvery gray being paler below. It has a yellow iris and reaches a length of up to 75 cm.[4]

Distribution

edit

The diamond mullet has an Indo-West Pacific distribution which extends from the eastern coast of Africa, including South Africa, through Madagascar and the Mascarenes east to Tonga and Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia and south to northern Western Australia and the Gulf of Carpentaria in western Queensland.[1] It has also been reported inland on the Zambezi.[5]

It is a tropical species that inhabits inshore marine habitats including estuaries. It also travel hundreds of kilometres up rivers.[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Sparks, J.S. (2017). "Planiliza alata". The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2017. IUCN: e.T95567920A95568158. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T95567920A95568158.en. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  2. ^ Eol.org Eol.org] Accessed Sept. 10, 2015
  3. ^ Marinespecies.org Accessed Sept. 11, 2015
  4. ^ a b Martin F. Gomon & Dianne J. Bray. "Liza alata". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
  5. ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Planiliza alata". FishBase. June 2018 version.