Mugil cephalus

Taxonomy

Unambiguous Synonyms:

1. Mugil albula Linnaeus, 1766
2. Mugil ashanteensis Bleeker, 1863
3. Mugil cephalotus Valenciennes, 1836
4. Mugil cephalus subsp. ashanteensis Bleeker, 1863
5. Mugil cephalus subsp. cephalus Linnaeus, 1758
6. Mugil crenilabis subsp. our Forsskċl, 1775
7. Mugil dobula Günther, 1861
8. Mugil gelatinosus Klunzinger, 1872
9. Mugil grandis Castelnau, 1879
10. Mugil hypselosoma Ogilby, 1897
11. Mugil japonicus Temminck & Schlegel, 1845
12. Mugil lineatus Valenciennes, 1836
13. Mugil mexicanus Steindachner, 1876
14. Mugil muelleri Klunzinger, 1880
15. Mugil mulleri Klunzinger, 1880
16. Mugil occidentalis Castelnau, 1873
17. Mugil our Forsskċl, 1775
18. Mugil provensalis Risso, 1810
19. Myxus barnardi Gilchrist & Thompson, 1914
20. Myxus caecutiens Günther, 1876
21. Myxus superficialis Klunzinger, 1870

Notes:

Name Status: Accepted Name.

Physical Description

Family Mugilidae:

Distribution: all tropical and temperate seas. Chiefly marine (coastal) and brackish water; some in freshwater (Liza abu only in fresh and estuaries). Spinous (4 spines) and soft dorsal fins widely separated. Pelvic fins subabdominal; 1 spine, 5 soft rays. Lateral line hardly visible when present. Mouth of moderate size. Toothless or teeth small. Long gill rakers. Muscular stomach; extremely long intestine. Vertebrae 24-26. Maximum length about 90 cm. Travel in schools and feed on fine algae, diatoms, and detritus of bottom sediments. Important food fishes.

The family Mugilidae belongs to the Class Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) and the Order Perciformes. It contains 17 genera and 80 species. It may be found in Marine, Brackish, and Freshwater environments and is primarily Marine. Members of this family are not used in the aquarium trade. Reproductively, most members of this family are nonguarders. The main mode of swimming of adult fish in this family is subcarangiform. Compared with other fish, the activity level of this family tends to be normal. Members of this family have been dated back to the Oligocene epoch of the Tertiary period. This family may be found from 62° n to 45° s and 125° w to 180° e. Etymology of this family name: Latin, mugil, -ilis = grey mullet

Distribution

Range and Population

Cosmopolitan in coastal waters of the tropical and subtropical zones of all seas. Eastern Pacific: California, USA to Chile^[1]. Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada to Brazil^[2]; Cape Cod to southern Gulf of Mexico^[3]; absent in the Bahamas and most of West Indies and Caribbean7251, 9761). Eastern Atlantic: Bay of Biscay to South Africa, including the Mediterranean Sea and Black Sea^[4]. Reported in Sea of Okhotsk^[5].

Similar Species

Members of the genus Mugil:

There are approximately 126 species and subspecies in this genus. Here are just 100 of them: M. abu zarudnyi · M. acutus · M. alleni · M. atherinoides · Liza dumerili · M. bananensis (Banana Mullet) · M. banksi · M. benaensis · M. bergii · M. bleekeri · M. liza · M. braziliensis · M. brevirostris · Liza ramado · M. broussonnetii (Broussonnet's Mullet) · M. bunensis · Chelon labrosus · M. caeruleo-maculatus · M. caldwelli · M. cantoris · M. capipitota · M. capurrii (Black Mullet) · M. carema · M. carinata · Liza ramado · M. cephalatus · M. cephales · M. cephalus (Black Mullet) · M. cephalus albula (Black Mullet) · M. cephalus ashanteensis · M. cephalus cephalus · M. cephalus rammelsbergi · M. cephaluss · M. charlottae · M. chilo · M. compressa · M. constantia · M. constantiae · M. creilabris · M. crenilabis our · M. crenilabis seheli · M. crenilabis tade · M. crenilabus · M. curaema · M. curcasia · M. curema (Blueback Mullet) · M. currens · Chelon labrosus · M. curuna · M. curvidens (Dwarf Mullet) · M. dayi · M. decemradiatus · M. falciformis · M. gaimardiana · M. gaimardianus (Redeye Mullet) · M. gaimardianusde (Redeye Mullet) · M. galapagensis (Galapagos Mullet) · M. grandisquami · M. gyrans (Fantail Mullet) · M. haematocheila · M. soiuy · M. hamiltoni · M. harengus · M. hoelferi · M. hospes (Hospe Mullet) · M. incidis · M. incilis (Common Mullet) · M. joloensis · M. joyneri · M. kelaantii · M. kelaari · M. keluantii · M. lisa · M. liza (Blueback Mullet) · Liza aurata · M. machetonia · M. macrochilus · M. macrolepsis · M. macrolepus · M. macroleris · M. microlepidotus · M. nepalensis · M. nigrostriatus · M. oeur · Liza melinoptera · M. olivacen · M. ophugseni · M. ophuyseni · M. ornithocephala · M. ornithocephalus · M. papillosus · M. papilosus · M. peruanus · M. platanus (Mullet) · M. plumieri · M. ramada · M. rammelsbergi · M. rammelsbergii (Haarder) · M. richardsoni · M. sandichensis

Members of the genus Liza:

There are approximately 85 species and subspecies in this genus: L. abu (Abu Mullet) · L. affinis (Eastern Keelback Mullet) · L. alata (Basket Mullet) · L. aligolepis · L. amarula · L. amarulus · L. argentea (Flat-Tail Mullet) · L. aurata (Golden Grey Mullet) · L. borneensis · L. buchanani · L. caeruleo-maculatus · L. caeruleomaculata · L. caerulo-maculata · L. caerulomaculatus · L. carinata (Keeled Mullet) · L. carinata carinata · L. carinata klunzingeri · L. carinatus · L. coeruleomaculata · L. coeruleomaculatus · L. cunnesius · L. curema · L. dumerili (Brasilian Mullet) · L. dumerilli · L. engeli · L. falcipinnis (Mullet) · L. grandisquamis (Large-Scale Mullet) · L. grandisquamous · L. haemalocheta · L. haematacheila · L. haematocheilus (So-Iny Mullet) · L. haematochilus · L. hamiltoni · L. heterochilus · L. joyneri borealis · L. klunzingeri (Klunzinger's Mullet) · L. labiosus · L. labrosus · L. lauvergnii · L. macrolepis (Berneo-Mullet) · L. maderensis · L. mandapamensis · L. melanopterus · L. melinoptera (Blackfin Mullet) · L. menada borealis · L. melinoptera · L. oligoleps · L. parmata (Big-Eye Mullet) · L. melinoptera · L. parsia (Gold-Spot Mullet) · L. macrolepis · L. peroni · L. persicus (Persian Mullet) · L. perusii · L. petherici · L. tade · L. raigiensis · L. richardsonii · L. ramado (Grey Mullet) · L. ramsayi (Ramsay's Mullet) · L. rchardsonii · L. richardsonii (Mullet) · L. richardsonius · L. saliens (Leaping Gray Mullet) · L. saliens furcata · L. saliens hoefleri · L. spp · L. subriodis · L. subviaides · L. subvirides · L. subviridis (Dussumier's Mullet) · L. subviridus · L. tade (Green-Back Mullet) · L. tricuspidens (Striped Mullet) · L. trocheli · L. trochelii · L. troschelii · L. vaigiensis (Blackfin Mullet) · L. vaigriensis · L. vargiensis · L. waigiennsis · L. waigiensis · L. richardsonii · L. affinis · L. ramado

Bibliography

• Klunzinger, C.B. (1870b): Synopsis der Fische des Rothen Meeres. (I. Theil) - Verhandlungen der Königl.Kaiserl. Zoologisch-Botanischen Gesellschaft Wien 20, pp. [831]
• Klunzinger, C.B. (1880o): Die v. Müller'sche Sammlung australischer Fische in Stuttgart. - Sitzungsberichte der Akademie der Wissenschaften Wien (1. Abth.) 80, pp. [395]
• Steindachner, Franz (1902b): Herpetologische und ichtyologische Ergebnisse einer Reise nach Südamerika, mit einer Einleitung con Therese Prinzessin von Bayern - Denkschriften der Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftlichen Classe der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften Wien 72 72, pp. [129-130 [41-42 as separate], Taf. 4, Figs. 2, 2a]

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Notes

Contributors:

• Brands, S.J. (comp.) 1989-2006. Systema Naturae 2000. The Taxonomicon. Universal Taxonomic Services, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Accessed October 4, 2006.
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Accessed June 01, 2007. http://www.gbif.org Mediated distribution data from provider.

Data Sources:

Accessed through GBIF Data Portal November 12, 2007:

• Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, Bishop Museum Natural History Specimen Data
• Canadian Museum of Nature, Canadian Museum of Nature Fish Collection
• Cornell University Museum of Vertebrates, Fish Collection
• FishBase, FishBase DiGIR Provider - Philippine Server
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, Atlantic Reference Centre
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, Bishop Museum Data
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, Bureau of Rural Sciences National commercial fisheries half-degree data set 2000-2002
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, Canadian Museum of Nature - Fish Collection
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, NOAA HML Tidal Creek Database
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, NODC WOD01 Plankton Database
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, National Institute of Marine Sciences and Technologies - Trawl Surveys
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity - Fish Collection
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, South Western Pacific Regional OBIS Data provider for the NIWA Marine Biodata Information System
• Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, iziko South African Museum - Fish Collection
• Israel Nature and Parks Authority, Israel Nature and Parks Authority
• Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History, Vertebrate specimens
• Museum national d'histoire naturelle, Ichtyologie
• Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, MCZ Fish Collection
• OZCAM
• Provider, Online Zoological Collections of Australian Museums
• Royal Ontario Museum, Fish specimens
• Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, Santa Barbara Musem of Natural History
• Senckenberg, Collection Pisces
• The Swedish Museum of Natural History
• , Fishes
• UNIBIO, IBUNAM, CNPE/Coleccion Nacional de Peces
• University of Kansas Biodiversity Research Center, Fish Collection
• University of Minnesota Bell Museum of Natural History, Fish specimens
• University of Washington Burke Museum, University of Washington Fish Collection

Identifiers:

• Global Biodiversity Information Facility Taxonkey: 13527625
• Zipcode Zoo Species Identifier: 1472987

Footnotes:

1. Eschmeyer, W.N., E.S. Herald and H. Hammann (1983). A field guide to Pacific coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 336 p.
2. Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray (1986). A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p.
3. Smith, C.L. (1997). National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 720 p.
4. Thomson, J.M. (1990). Mugilidae. p. 855-859. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2.
5. Fedorov, V.V., I.A. Chereshnev, M.V. Nazarkin, A.V. Shestakov and V.V. Volobuev (2003). Catalog of marine and freswater fishes of the northern part of the Sea of Okhotsk. Vladivostok: Dalnauka, 2003. 204 p.