Flathead grey mullet

The striped mullet^[2][3] (Mugil cephalus) is an important food fish species in the mulletfamilyMugilidae. It is found in coastal temperate, tropical and subtropical waters worldwide.^[3] Its length is typically 30 to 75 centimetres (12 to 30 in). It is known with numerous English names, including the flathead mullet, flathead grey mullet, striped mullet,black mullet, bully mullet, common mullet, grey mullet, sea mullet and mullet, among others.^[1][4]

The striped mullet is a mainly diurnal coastal species that often enters estuaries and rivers. It usually schools over sand or mud bottoms, feeding on zooplankton, dead plant matter, microalgae and detritus.^[5] The adult fish normally feed on algae in fresh water. The species is euryhaline, meaning that the fish can acclimate to different levels of salinity.^[6]

The genus name Mugil is from Latin: mūgil : mullet. The species name cephalus is from Ancient Greek: κέφαλοςképhalos : mullet. Thus, the binomial term Mugil cephalus literally means Mullet mullet.

The back of the fish is olive-green, sides are silvery and shade to white towards the belly.^[3] The fish may have six to seven distinctive lateral horizontal stripes. Lips are thin.^[3] The mullet has no lateral line. A common length is about 50 centimetres (20 in), and its maximum length is 100 centimetres (39 in).^[3] It can reach a maximum weight of eight kilograms (18 lb).^[6]

The striped mullet is cosmopolitan in coastal waters of the tropical, subtropical and temperate zones of all seas,^[3] as far north as the Bay of Biscay and Nova Scotia in the Atlantic Ocean.^[1] It occupies fresh, brackish and marine habitats in depths ranging between 0–120 metres (0–394 ft) and with temperatures between 8–24 °C (46–75 °F).^[6]

In Australia, the fish is widespread, from Far North Queensland, around southern Australia to the Kimberley region of Western Australia. They also occur in the Bass Strait area of Tasmania. They live in tropical and temperate coastal marine and estuarine waters, but are also often found in the lower reaches of rivers. They are able to live in a wide range of salinity and so may also be found in lagoons, lakes and far into estuaries, but migrate back to the sea to spawn.^[7]

In freshwaters of the western United States, the striped mullet historically ranged far up the Colorado River to the vicinity of Blythe and up the Gila River to perhaps Tacna. Because of the dams and restricted flows to the Gulf of California, the range in Arizona is restricted to the Colorado River below Laguna Dam and the lower end of the Gila River when there is water present. They are often abundant in the mainstream and lateral canals in the Gila River region.^[8]

In the Colorado River mullet are pelagic in larger pools, sometimes moving into currents below dams, and generally occurring in small groups.^[6] Striped mullet populations are currently declining in Arizona, due to periods when the Colorado River does not reach the Gulf of California.

The striped mullet is an important food fish around the world, and it is both fished and farmed. The reported worldwide production in 2024 reached about 125,000 tonnes, of which 5% came from aquaculture.^[10]

La ontogenia de las larvas de mugílidos ha sido bien estudiada, y el desarrollo larvario de Mugil cephalus en particular ha sido objeto de un estudio intensivo debido a su amplia distribución y su interés para la acuicultura . ^{[ 11 ]} El desarrollo osteológico de Mugil cephalus, previamente poco estudiado , fue investigado en un estudio de 2021, donde se describieron cuatro etapas de desarrollo embrionario y seis larvarias en especímenes criados en acuicultura y capturados en la naturaleza. ^{[ 11 ]} Estas descripciones aclararon características cuestionables de las lisas adultas y revelaron detalles informativos con posibles implicaciones para las hipótesis filogenéticas , además de proporcionar una base de comparación necesaria para las lisas criadas en acuicultura, lo que permite reconocer malformaciones. ^{[ 11 ]}

Las huevas de esta lisa se salan, secan y se comprimen para elaborar un alimento típico en todo el mundo, como el avgotaraho griego , el wuyutsu taiwanés , el eoran coreano , el karasumi japonés , la bottarga italiana , la poutargue francesa, el haviar turco y el batarekh egipcio . En Egipto, el propio pescado se sala, se seca y se encurte para preparar fesikh .

En la costa del noroeste de Florida y Alabama, esta lisa, llamada lisa rayada o negra, suele ser una especialidad de los restaurantes de mariscos. La lisa frita es la más popular, pero también se consume ahumada, al horno y enlatada. Los pescadores locales suelen capturar lisas con redes de lanzamiento , aunque la mayoría utiliza redes de cerco terrestres . La lisa es un manjar en esta zona y se consume con mayor frecuencia en el hogar. Generalmente se filetea y las espinas restantes se utilizan para caldo de pescado en sopas y guisos. ^{[ 12 ]} Sin embargo, la lisa que se consume con mayor frecuencia en Florida es la lisa blanca ( Mugil curema ), porque su preferencia por aguas más limpias le confiere un sabor más puro y menos terroso. ^{[ 13 ]}

• Photos of Flathead grey mullet in the Sealife Collection