Brown Backed Mullet

Inhabits coral reefs (Ref. 58534). Form schools in shallow coastal waters and enters lagoons, estuaries, and fresh water to feed (Ref. 9812). Juveniles may enter rice fields and mangroves (Ref. 9812). Feeds on plants and zooplankton (Ref. 6935, 4587). Feed on small algae, diatoms and benthic detrital material taken in with sand and mud; fry take zooplankton, diatoms, detrital material and inorganic sediment (Ref. 9812).

Dorsal spines (total): 4 - 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 9; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 9

Catadromous. Migrating from freshwater to the sea to spawn, e.g., European eels. Subdivision of diadromous. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

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 (Ref. 9812). Yellowish pectoral fin and may have a blue spot at fin origin (Ref. 9812).

Haplorchis Infestation 1. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Heterophyopsis Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Procerovum Infestation 1. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Stictodora Infestation 1. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Stictodora Infestation 2. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Pygidiopsis Infestation 1. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Pygidiopsis Infestation 2. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Stellantchasmus Infestation. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Epitheliocystis. Bacterial diseases

Form schools in shallow coastal waters and enters lagoons, estuaries, and fresh water to feed (Ref. 9812). Juveniles may enter rice fields and mangroves (Ref. 9812). Feed on small algae, diatoms and benthic detrital material taken in with sand and mud; fry take zooplankton, diatoms, detrital material and inorganic sediment (Ref. 9812). Oviparous, eggs are pelagic and non-adhesive (Ref. 205). Spawning occurs at sea. Also caught with stakenets (Ref. 9812). Marketed fresh and salted.

fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; bait: usually

分布於印度-西太平洋區水域，由紅海、東非洲至薩摩亞，北至日本南部，南至澳洲。臺灣四周海域除東部外均有。

漁期全年皆有，主要為沿岸流刺網或待袋網等法捕獲，但產量不多，且因本種魚體型較小，又沒有烏魚有飽滿的卵，故經濟價值不像烏魚來的高，魚肉適合煮湯或紅燒皆不錯。

體延長呈紡綞形，前部圓形而後部側扁，背無隆脊。頭短，圓筒形。吻短；唇薄，下唇有一高聳的小丘和一列絨毛狀唇齒，上唇有多列細唇齒。 眼圓，前側位；脂眼瞼發達，脂眼瞼長和眼徑比1.2-1.9；前眼眶骨窄小，前緣有缺刻，其大小佔唇和眼之間的3/4空間。口小，亞腹位；上頜骨末端彎曲向下且寬大略呈方形，末端遠於口角後緣；牙細弱或絨毛狀。鼻孔每側各一對。在稚魚期為圓鱗，隨著成長而變為具有多列錐型櫛刺的櫛鱗；頭部及體側的側線發達；側線數目9-11條；側線鱗28-32。鰓耙繁密細長，第一鰓弓下枝鰓耙40-68。背鰭兩個，第一背鰭硬棘IV，第二背鰭鰭條I,8；胸鰭上側位，具16鰭條，基部無藍斑駁或黑點，腋鱗發育不良或缺如；腹鰭腹位，具鰭條I,5，腋鱗發達；臀鰭具鰭條III,9-10；尾鰭分叉或凹入。幽門垂數4-6條。新鮮標本的體背暗綠色，體側銀白色，腹部漸次轉為白色。尾鰭邊緣為黑色，胸鰭基部為灰白色且有少數黑色素。有一淡金色環，繞著眼球虹膜。以前所記載之粗鱗鮻(/Liza dussumieri/)為本種之同種異名(Nakabo, 2002)。

主要棲息於沿岸砂泥底質地形的海域，而河口區或紅樹林等半淡鹹水海域亦常見其蹤跡，亦常侵入河川下游。以底泥中有機碎屑或水層中的浮游生物為食，群棲性，常成群洄游，幼魚在受到驚嚇時，會有躍離水面的動作。