White mullet

The white mullet or silver mullet (Mugil curema) is a tropical and subtropical marine fish of the family Mugilidae. It is commonly about 30 cm (12 in) long.

Note that silver mullet is also a common name used for fantail mullet (Mugil trichodon).

Distribution

The white mullet is an Atlantic and Pacific fish mainly found on American coasts.

In the Western Atlantic it ranges from Argentina to Cape Cod and, rarely, even up to Nova Scotia. In the Eastern Atlantic it occurs from Namibia to Senegal, and in the Eastern Pacific from Chile to the Gulf of California.

The white mullet is found along sandy coasts and in littoral pools, but also occurs in brackish lagoons and estuaries on muddy substrates and sometimes even in rivers. Juveniles in particular invade estuaries and coastal lagoons. Adults occur in schools.