Mugil cephalus, Linnaeus, 1758

Freyhof, JÖrg, Yoğurtçuoğlu, Baran, Jouladeh-Roudbar, Arash & Kaya, Cüneyt, 2025, Handbook of Freshwater Fishes of West Asia, De Gruyter : 808

Mugil cephalus

Common name. Flathead mullet.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of mullets entering freshwaters in West Asia by:○ adipose tissue covering most of eye, reaching pupil in adults / ○ back rounded, not keeled in front of first dorsal / ○ anterior margin of preorbital bone straight, tip pointed / ○ upper lip smooth / ○ pectoral short, not reaching close to vertical of first dorsal origin / ○ caudal forked. Size up to 800 mm SL.

Distribution. All tropical and subtropical seas, Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Atlantic, reaching northward to England and the Netherlands.

Habitat. Pelagic near shore, often foraging in lagoons, estuaries, and lower reaches of rivers. Spawns at sea in coastal surface waters.

Planiliza abu ; Lesser Zab drainage, Iraq; 91 mm SL.

Biology. Usually in schools. Males spawn first time at 2 years, females at 3 years. Females larger than males. Spawns at sea in coastal surface waters, producing several million pelagic eggs from July to October (Mediterranean). Eggs develop optimally in full marine salinity. Juveniles of about 20 mm SL migrate to coastal lagoons and estuaries in autumn. Juveniles feed on zooplankton until about 30 mm SL and larger individuals filter algae, plant detritus, and small invertebrates.

Conservation status. LC.

Further reading. Ben Tuvia, in Whitehead et al. 1986 (description); Gandolfi et al. 1991 (biology); Thomson 1997 (systematics); Harrison 2003a (biology); Attaala & Rubaia 2005 (record from Yemen); Kottelat & Freyhof 2007 (distribution, biology).