Details
Mugil cephalus
Flathead grey mullet is a hardy coastal fish that enters estuaries, brackish water, and freshwater. It supports fisheries worldwide and tolerates change, including entry into polluted waters.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
It is widespread in temperate and tropical coasts, estuaries, lagoons, harbors, and lower rivers. Main habitat types in this guide are coast, freshwater, ocean.
Typical length 30-100 cm, weight 500 g-8 kg. A flattened head, stout body, and silvery gray flanks are typical in shallow-water schools.
It is diurnal and often found in loose groups. Schools move with tides through estuaries and shallows, grazing fine material from surfaces.
It feeds on detritus and fine organic matter. Detritus, algae, microorganisms, and organic matter in sediment are sucked up and filtered.
Adults spawn at sea, and juveniles grow in estuaries and shallow coastal nurseries.
Although still widespread in places, it remains sensitive to habitat change. It supports fisheries worldwide and tolerates change, including entry into polluted waters.
