Teleostei (teleosts) >
Atheriniformes (Silversides) >
Pseudomugilidae (Blue eyes)
Etymology: Pseudomugil: Greek, pseudes = false + Latin, mugil, -is = grey mullet (Ref. 45335).
Issue
Placed under family Pseudomugilidae in Ref. 9837.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; pelagic-neritic. Tropical; 22°C - 31°C
Western Pacific: northern Australia, near Broome and between Darwin and Wyndham, Northern Territory.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 3.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9786)
Dorsal spines (total): 3 - 5; Dorsal soft rays (total): 4 - 7; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 9 - 13. Premaxilla wide, its ascending process short and lateral process absent. Vomer wide and slightly curved. Mesethmoid absent. Second dorsal fin with no spines and 4-7 soft rays. Pectoral fins with no spines. Midlateral scales 22-26. Elongated rays and base of second dorsal fin black.
Inhabits mangrove swamps and highly saline creeks flowing into estuaries, usually swimming over muddy bottom. Often congregate in large numbers. May be found in hypersaline waters (28-40 ppt) and in relatively high temperatures (22-31°C). Breeding has been achieved in aquaria; the eggs take about two weeks to hatch and young fish reach adulthood in only three months (Ref. 44894). A small but attractive species.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Ivantsoff, W., 1999. Order Atheriniformes. Pseudomugilidae. Blue eyes. p. 2109-2112. In K.E. Carpenter and V.H. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 4. Bony fishes part 2 (Mugilidae to Carangidae). FAO, Rome. (Ref. 9786)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: potential
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Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00389 (0.00180 - 0.00842), b=3.12 (2.94 - 3.30), in cm total length, based on all LWR estimates for this body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.2 ±0.4 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).