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Neomyxus leuciscus

Kā (AT)

Silvery Mullet

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General Information

COMMON NAMES: Silvery Mullet, Acute-jawed Mullet, False Mullet, Sharpnose Mullet, Shovel-headed Mullet

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Kā (AT), Kaa (MK), Ka‘a (MT), Uoa?sp (AK), Wowa (PL), Kaha (TS TW), Uwoa / Aliki < Talamāyī < Māyī < Uwoa < Uwoa-langa (PK); Other Polynesian - Auoa (TAH)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Carolines - Ducie, Hawai‘i; n. to s.Japan; s. to Rarotonga

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group and N.Group. (RR, MH) PLUS:; Marine, near-shore, reef-flat and passages

KEY FEATURES: To 40cm. Round slender body, sharp snout. Silvery-grey above, silver below; upper Pectoral joint has small bright-yellow spot; fins grey. Lower jaw viewed ventrally is acute (less than 45°); 2-3 rows of teeth on each jaw.

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
P		^P	^P	P	+++	P

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
	P		P

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Neomyxus leuciscus (Günther, 1872)
SYNONYMS: Chaenomugil leuciscus; Myxus leuciscus [O]; Neomyxus chaptalii [in error]

TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Mugiliformes; MUGILIDAE

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Rarotonga: Type locality Myxus leuciscus, c1870 BMus; specimen gillnet Avatiu pass. ID N.Sims, to BPBM, confirmed J.E.Randall as Chaenomugil leuciscus (Sims88). Atiu: field-specimen+photo, College collection, 10/2000, ID GMcC. Mauke: field-specimen, College collection, 3/2001, ID GMcC. Aitutaki: fieldsight, P-base yellow spot, NBSAP School, 12/2000, ID GM. Manihiki: specimen night reef-flat gleaning ID N.Sims, to BPBM, confirmed J.E.Randall as Chaenomugil leuciscus (Sims88). Pukapuka: fieldspecimen+photo, 1/2004, fisherman, ID GM & K.Salisbury as Neomyxus leuciscus.

References:
Special Reference: Günther, 1871 Proc. Zoo. Soc. Lond. Part 3: 666, Pl. 61, fig.A. (original description).

text p.199 Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia
plate 199 Myers (1991 2nd Ed.) Fishes of Micronesia

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
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