Thicklip grey mullet

Thicklip grey mullet
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Mugiliformes
Family:	Mugilidae
Genus:	Chelon
Species:	C. labrosus
Binomial name
Chelon labrosus (Risso, 1827)

The thicklip grey mullet, Chelon labrosus, is a coastal fish of the family Mugilidae. It grows to 50 cm long, with 75cm being the maximum recorded.^[1] it is named after its thick upper lip and silvery-grey appearance.

It is a common fish of shallow, sheltered coasts, estuaries, and around power station and sewer outfalls; it can also enter fresh water areas.

It lives in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Iceland to Senegal and Cape Verde, including the Mediterranean Sea and the southwestern Black Sea. This species is occasionally migratory, heading northwards in summer.

it feeds mainly on benthic diatoms, epiphytic algae, small invertebrates and detritus.

The thicklip grey mullet lays its eggs in winter. Both eggs and fry are pelagic.

Human interaction

The thicklip grey mullet is valued both as a food fish and as a tenacious game fish.^[2]

References

1. ^ Froese, Rainer, and Daniel Pauly, eds. (2008). "Chelon labrosus" in FishBase. September 2008 version.
2. ^ "The thicklip Grey Mullet is regarded widely as the hardest fighting fish swimming in Irish waters" in [1]