The flathead mullet, Mugil cephalus, is a mullet of the genus Mugil, found in coastal tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. Its length is typically 30 to 75 centimeters (12 to 30 inches). This species occurs worldwide, attested to by other common names for this fish:
- Black mullet - Cuba, US
- Bully mullet - Australia, Vietnam
- Callifaver mullet - Cuba, Netherlands Antilles, US
- Common grey mullet - UK
- Common mullet - Cuba, Netherlands Antilles, US
- Flathead grey mullet - India, Philippines, UK
- Flathead mullet - Europe, FAO, UN, Fishbase
- Grey mullet - Australia, Taiwan, Cuba, Fiji, Hong Kong, Mauritius, Netherlands Antilles, New Zealand, Spain, Tonga, UK, US
- Hardgut mullet - Australia
- Mangrove mullet - Australia
- Sea mullet - Australia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, UK
- Striped mullet - Australia, Cuba, Mexico, Russian Fed, UK, US, Hawaii
The flathead mullet is a cigar-shaped solid-bodied fish with a flattened head with thin lips, and two widely separate triangular dorsal fins. The eyes are protected by a thick fatty eyelid and are near the front of the snout immediately behind the small mouth. The mouth has a single row of small teeth in each jaw. The fish normally feeds by gulping the surface layer of mud from the bottom in shallow water. organic detritus, micro-organisms, algae, and the small worms and crustaceans that abound in this rich mud are digested as they pass through their muscular gizzard. They are an important part of the ecology in estuarial and coastal waters of the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of America.
The back is olive-green with darker grey longitudinal lines, and the belly is silver.
Flathead mullet undertake annual migrations, entering harbours, estuaries, and rivers in the spring to feed on the rich bottom sediments, and sometimes travel many miles up into river systems. In autumn mature adults gather in schools in the estuaries and move seaward to spawn in offshore surface waters.
Human uses
Drying mullet roe in Taiwan.
The flathead mullet is an important food fish for many around the world, and can be both fished and farmed. The roe of this mullet is salted, dried and compressed to make a specialty food across the world, such as Japanese karasumi and Italian botargo.
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