Flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) fish species and information / pictures of Flathead grey mullet - Mugil cephalus

Flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) fish species information

Scientific Name
Mugil cephalus

Common Name
Flathead grey mullet

Biology
Coastal species (Ref. 2850, 44894) that often enter estuaries and rivers (Ref. 2847, 3573, 11230, 44894). Usually in schools over sand or mud bottom (Ref. 2850), between 0 and 10 m, occurring equally in tropical, subtropical and temperate waters (Project MUGIL). Mainly diurnal, feed on zooplankton as larvae, detritus, micro-algae and benthic organisms as juvenile and adult fish (Ref. 56548, 74902, 74760). Reproduction takes place in the sea, at various times of the year depending on the location (Ref. 74907, Amour). Does not have an obligatory freshwater phase in its life cycle (Ref. 74752). Females spawn 0.8 to 2.6 million eggs (Ref. 74912, Chen & Su 1986). Sexually mature at 3 to 4 years (Ref. 74902). Maximum length reported as 120 cm SL (Ref. 7399) remains to be confirmed (Project MUGIL). Maximum weight reported as 12 kg (Ref. 56527) seems to high fo

Classification

Classified By

Linnaeus, 1758

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Mullets (Mugiliformes)

Family

Mullets (Mugilidae)

Distribution

Region

Cosmopolitan in coastal waters of the tropical, subtropical and temperate zones of all seas. Eastern Pacific

Distribution

Cosmopolitan in coastal waters of the tropical, subtropical and temperate zones of all seas. Eastern Pacific: California, USA to Chile (Ref. 2850). Western Pacific: Japan to Australia (Ref. 9812). Western Indian Ocean: from India to South Africa (Ref. 4393). Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada to Brazil (Ref. 7251); Cape Cod to southern Gulf of Mexico (Ref. 26938); absent in the Bahamas and most of West Indies and Caribbean (Ref. 7251, 9761). Eastern Atlantic: Bay of Biscay to South Africa, including the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea (Ref. 7399). Reported in Sea of Okhotsk (Ref. 50550).

Range

62°N - 57°S, 180°W - 180°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

8 °C

Water Temperature To

24 °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

120 m

Zone

benthopelagic

Environment

Marine; freshwater; brackish; benthopelagic; catadromous (Ref. 51243); depth range 0 - 120 m (Ref. 9321), usually 0 - 10 m

Trophic Level

2.13 s.e. 0.18 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

True

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

100.0 cm

Common Length

50.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: highly commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes; bait: occasionally

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (42 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.09-0.15; tm=2-6; tmax=16; Fec=1.6 million)

Threat To Humans

Harmless (Ref. 4887)

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)