Squaretail mullet

The squaretail mullet (Ellochelon vaigiensis), also known as the diamondscale mullet, is a species of grey mullet from the family Mugilidae. It is an Indo-Pacific species and is the only species in the monospecific genus Ellochelon.

Habitat

The squaretail mullet can be found in lagoons, estuaries, sheltered sandy shorelines and coastal creeks and can enter freshwater, having been found up to 10 kilometres (6.2 miles) up rivers, although they normally do not move further inland than the influence of the tides. They can form large aggregations among mangroves and the juveniles are frequently recorded in rice paddies and mangroves. They feed on phytoplankton, algae and detritus. Spawning is at sea, and the eggs are pelagic and do not adhere to objects.

Distribution

The squaretail mullet occurs from the Red Sea and the coast of East Africa, as far south as Mozambique, eastwards through the Indo-pacific to New Caledonia and the Great Barrier Reef and north to southern Japan.