Fivebar Flagtail, Kuhlia mugil (Bloch & Schneider 1801)


Other Names: Barred flagtail, Fiveband Flagtail, Five-bar Flagtail, Ocean Flagfish

Fivebar Flagtails, Kuhlia mugil, at Kingston, Norfolk Island, December 2021. Source: Susan Prior / iNaturalist.org. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
A silvery flagtail with the front of snout and chin blackish, and a black and white banded tail. Fivebar Flagtails are often seen schools along the surge zone.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2022, Kuhlia mugil in Fishes of Australia, accessed 08 Dec 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/4457

Fivebar Flagtail, Kuhlia mugil (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

More Info


Distribution

Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, and the far northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, and reefs in the Coral Sea, to Ulladulla, southern New South Wales; also Christmas Island and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the eastern Indian Ocean, and Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere, the species is widespread in the Red Sea and Indo Pacific.
Inhabits coral and rocky reefs, estuaries and the lower reaches of freshwater streams. Juveniles often occur in tide pools. 

Feeding

Feeds mostly at night on zooplankton and small fishes.

Fisheries

Fished for food, bait, and taken for the aquarium trade. It is caught in seines, gill nets and by hook and line.

Etymology

The specific name is from the Latin mugil (= mullet), possibly in reference to the silver coloration of this species.

Species Citation

Sciaena mugil Bloch & Schneider, 1801, Systema Ichthyol.: 541. Type locality: Otahaite [Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia].

Author

Bray, D.J. 2022

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Fivebar Flagtail, Kuhlia mugil (Bloch & Schneider 1801)

References


Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Allen, G.R., Hoese, D.F., Paxton, J.R., Randall, J.E., Russell, B.C., Starck, W.A., Talbot, F.H. & Whitley, G.P. 1976. Annotated checklist of the fishes of Lord Howe Island. Records of the Australian Museum 30(15): 365-454 figs 1-2

Allen, G.R., Steene, R.C. & Orchard, M. 2007. Fishes of Christmas Island. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 2 edn, 284 pp.

Allen, G.R. & Smith-Vaniz, W.F. 1994. Fishes of Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin 412: 1-21.

Bloch, M.E. & Schneider, J.G. 1801. Systema Ichthyologiae Iconibus ex Illustratum. Berlin 584 pp. 110 pls. See ref at BHL

Carpenter, K.E. 2001. Family Kuhliidae. pp. 3317-3320 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 5 2791-3379 pp.

Francis, M. 1993. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk, and Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean. Pacific Science 47(2): 136-170 figs 1-2

Francis, M.P. 2019. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk and Kermadec Islands, southwest Pacific Ocean. Version: 2019.2 figshare. Collection. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.4428305.v2

Grant, E.M. 2002. Guide to Fishes. Redcliffe : EM Grant Pty Ltd 880 pp.

Hobbs, J-P.A., Newman, S.J., Mitsopoulos, G.E.A., Travers, M.J., Skepper, C.L., Gilligan, J.J., Allen, G.R., Choat, H.J. & Ayling, A.M. 2014. Checklist and new records of Christmas Island fishes: the influence of isolation, biogeography and habitat availability on species abundance and community composition. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 30: 184–202 See ref online  

Hobbs, J-P.A., Newman, S.J., Mitsopoulos, G.E.A., Travers, M.J., Skepper, C.L., Gilligan, J.J., Allen, G.R., Choat, H.J. & Ayling, A.M. 2014. Fishes of the Cocos (Keeling) Islands: new records, community composition and biogeographic significance. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 30: 203–219 See ref online

Hoese, D. & Mailautoka, K. 2012. Kuhlia mugil. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012: e.T196412A2455231. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2012.RLTS.T196412A2455231.en. Accessed on 27 June 2022.

Hui, T.H., Maruse, T., Fujita, Y., Kiat, T.S. 2014. Observations on the fauna from submarine and associated anchialine caves in Christmas Island, Indian Ocean Territory, Australia. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology , Supplement 30: 406-418. See ref online

Hutchins, J.B. & Swainston, R. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete field guide for anglers and divers. Perth : Swainston Publishing 180 pp.

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 437 pp.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs.

Randall, J.E. & Randall, H.A. 2001. Review of the fishes of the genus Kuhlia (Perciformes: Kuhliidae) of the Central Pacific. Pacific Science 55(3): 227-256.

Trnski, T. 2015. 177 Family Kuhliidae. pp. 1244-1245 in Roberts, C.D., Stewart, A.L. & Struthers, C.D. (eds). The Fishes of New Zealand. Wellington : Te Papa Press Vol. 4 pp. 1153-1748.

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37323005

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Depth:0-10 m

Fishing:Commercial, recreational, aquarium fish

Habitat:Reef associated, mostly marine

Max Size:32 cm TL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map