Species: Dajaus monticola, Mountain Mullet

Dajaus monticola (Bancroft in Griffith & Smith, 1834)

Mountain Mullet

Body robust; convex between eyes; eyes without transparent fatty eyelid; mouth small, opens at front; top and bottom lips thick; without fleshy knob at tip of lower lips; teeth strong, imbedded in jawbones, in bands inside lips, those on inner row on top jaw with 2-3 points, those on lower jaw with 1-2 points; tooth bands on lower jaws almost meet in center; teeth on sides (and front) of roof of mouth; two short, widely spaced dorsal fins, IV slender spines + 9 rays; anal fin II, 10; pectorals high on body, 1st ray hard; pelvics inserted behind pectoral base; weakly forked tail; scales very rough, 40 (38-45) lateral scales; second dorsal and anal fins only with a few small scales on front base; no lateral line.

Olive above, white below, dark scale edges form crisscross lines on upper body; fins yellowish; upper 1/3 of pectoral base dark; juveniles with dark blotch on pectoral base and dark spot on base of tail fin.

Size: to 36 cm.

Habitat: adults in rivers, juveniles at river mouths; adults entering sea to spawn, where larvae develop.

Depth: 0-5 m.

A new world, tropical to warm temperate species; N Carolina to the Orinoco.

Note: Genetic data show that this probably comprises 3 species; 2 West Atlantic and 1 East Pacific.