Great mullet

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Great mullet
Mugil cephalus.jpg

Great mullet ( Mugil cephalus )

Systematics
Perch relatives (Percomorphaceae)
Ovalentaria
Order : Mugiliformes
Family : Mullets (Mugilidae)
Genre : Mugil
Type : Great mullet
Scientific name
Mugil cephalus
Linnaeus , 1758

The great mullet ( Mugil cephalus ) is a species of mullet that occurs worldwide on the coasts of tropical, subtropical and temperate seas.

features

The mullet can reach a maximum length of one meter, but usually stays at 50 cm. This makes it the largest species of mullet. The body is torpedo-shaped, the head broad and flattened between the eyes. The mouth is small, the lips narrow. The eyes have well-developed fat eyelids . The back side is olive green, the sides silvery, the belly rather whitish. On the flanks, some faint dark stripes can show along the rows of scales. Like all mullets, the great mullet has two dorsal fins that are widely spaced. The first has 4 soft hard rays and the second one hard and 7 to 9 soft, the anal fin 3 hard and 8 (adult) to 9 (larva) soft fin rays. The pectoral fins are short and, when folded forward, do not reach the eyes. The pelvic fins are on the chest.

distribution

The distribution area of ​​the great mullet lies between 62 ° N and 57 ° S and extends in the eastern Atlantic from the Biscay to South Africa and also includes the Mediterranean and the Black Sea . In the western Atlantic, the species occurs from Nova Scotia to Brazil , but is absent in the Caribbean . In the Pacific, it ranges from Japan and California to Australia and Chile , and in the Indian Ocean from India to South Africa.

Way of life

The big head mullet lives as a schooling fish in the coastal area from the water surface to depths of ten, exceptionally also up to 120 meters, whereby it occasionally penetrates lagoons and estuaries. It jumps frequently and feeds on zooplankton , detritus , unicellular algae, and bottom-dwelling invertebrates. Depending on their habitat, the fish spawn at different times of the year. The multiplication always takes place in the sea. A female can lay 800,000 to 2.6 million eggs. The mullet reaches sexual maturity at the age of 3 to 4 years and can reach the age of 16 years.

use

The mullet is reared in aquacultures with fresh or brackish water . Their meat is marketed fresh, dried, salted, smoked or frozen and is also used in traditional Chinese medicine . Their dried roe (Italian: bottarga ) is an old fish specialty from the Mediterranean region.

literature

  • William N. Eschmeyer, Earl S. Herald, Howard Hamann: A field guide to Pacific Coast Fishes of North America. From the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California. (Peterson Field Guides; 28), Houghton Mifflin, Boston, Mass. 1983, ISBN 0-395-33188-9 .

Web links

Commons : Greater mullet ( Mugil cephalus )  - Collection of images, videos and audio files