Species FAO code: MUF

Mugil cephalus

Page contents

Commercial designations
Production methods and fishing gears
EU quality schemes and nutrition values
Marketing standards
Species distribution and habitat
Species description

Commercial designations

Country	Commercial designations	Names accepted or permitted locally or regionally
Belgium	fr Mulet nl Harder	–
Bulgaria	bg Морски кефал	–
Croatia	hr cipal glavaš	–
Cyprus	el κέφαλος	–
Czech Republic	cs Cípal cs Mugil	–
Denmark	da Stribet multe	–
Estonia	et Harilik kefaal et meriärn	–
Finland	fi juovakeltti sv grå multe	–
France	fr mulet cabot fr mulet	–
Greece	el Κέφαλος	–
Italy	it Cefalo it volpina it muggine	–
Lithuania	lt didžiagalvė kefalė	–
Luxembourg	de Grosskopf de Meeräsche fr mulet fr mulet à grosse tête	–
Malta	en Flathead grey mullet it Baldigare mt Mulett tal-imcarrat mt Mulett tal-iswed	–
Poland	pl Cefal	–
Portugal	pt Tainha pt Tainha-olhalvo pt Olhalvo pt Muge	–
Romania	ro Laban ro chefal	–
Slovenia	sl glavati cipelj sl ciplji	–
Spain	es Mugil	Asturias: Muil Balearic Islands: Mujol Balearic Islands: Llissa taverner Canary Islands: Cabesote Canary Islands: Lebrancho Catalonia: Llissa llobarrera Galicia: Muxo cabezudo Basque Country: Muble Basque Country: Corcon
Sweden	sv Grå multe	–

Main production methods

Caught
Farmed

Main fishing gears

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, 1758

Recognized designations

protected designation of origin (PDO)

Greece

Αυγοτάραχο Μεσολογγίου / Avgotaracho Messolongiou

Source: eAmbrosia - the EU geographical indications register (eAmbrosia)

Nutrition values

	Nutrition values per serving (100g)
Energy	117.0 kcal
Total fat	3.79 g
Saturates	1.116 g
Carbohydrate	0.0 g
Sugars	0.0 g
Protein	19.35 g
Salt	162.5 mg

Source: USDA - FoodData Central

Specific requirements that fishery products marketed in the EU shall meet. They include freshness and size categories.

Freshness categories

	A	B	Extra
Flesh	Less elastic	Slightly soft (flaccid), less elastic; waxy (velvety) and dull surface	Firm and elastic; smooth surface
Gills	Less coloured; transparent mucus	Brown/grey becoming discoloured; thick, opaque mucus	Bright colour; no mucus
Peritoneum (in gutted fish)	Slightly dull; can be detached from flesh	Speckled; comes away easily from flesh	Smooth; bright; difficult to detach from flesh
Smell of gills and abdominal cavity	No smell of seaweed; neutral smell	Fermented; slightly sour	Seaweedy
Eye	Convex and slightly sunken; black dull pupil; slightly opalescent cornea	Flat; opalescent cornea; opaque pupil	Convex (bulging); black, bright pupil; transparent cornea
Skin	Pigmentation bright but not lustrous	Pigmentation in the process of becoming discoloured and dull	Bright, iridescent pigment (save for redfish) or opalescent; no discolouration
Skin mucus	Slightly cloudy	Milky	Aqueous, transparent

Size categories

Size	weight/fish
1	≥ 1.0 kg
2	≥ 0.5 \| < 1.0 kg
3	≥ 0.2 \| < 0.5 kg
4	≥ 0.1 \| < 0.2 kg

Habitat

Saltwater
Freshwater
Brackish water

FAO major fishing areas

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, 1758

Distribution maps

Source: Aquamaps - Computer Generated Native Distribution Map for Mugil cephalus

Source: FAO - FAO aquatic species distribution map of Mugil cephalus

Scientific name

Mugil cephalus

Author

Linnaeus, 1758

Rank

Species

FAO code

MUF

Morphological description

Diagnosis: body stout, cylindrical in cross-section, slightly compressed; head broad and flattened (Ref. 57400). Well developed adipose eyelid (Ref. 40476, 57400) covering most of pupil (Ref. 57400). Upper lip thin and without papillae, armed with 1-6 rows of fine teeth; hind end of upper jaw reaching a vertical line from anterior eye margin; maxillary pad not visible below corner of mouth when closed; origin of 1st dorsal fin nearer to snout tip than to caudal-fin base; anterior parts and bases of 2nd dorsal and anal fins with a moderately dense coverage of scales; pectoral axillary process; 14-15 scale rows between origins of dorsal and pelvic fins (Ref. 57400). Description: lips thin; pectoral fins short (when folded forward does not reach eye); anal spines 3 in adults, anal soft rays 8 in adults, 9 in larvae (Ref. 40476). Coloration: back bluish-grey (Ref. 57400) to olive-green (Ref. 40476). Sides and belly silvery (Ref. 40476, 57400) with golden reflections (Ref. 57400), white ventrally (Ref. 40476). Sides usually with longitudinal dark lines (Ref. 57400), sometimes distinctive (Ref. 40476). Pelvic fins, anal, and lower lobe of caudal fin yellow (Ref. 57400).

Taxonomic classification

ClassActinopterygii
- OrderMugiliformes
  - FamilyMugilidae
    - GenusMugil
      - SpeciesMugil cephalus

Synonyms

Mugil japonicus Temminck & Schlegel, 1845
Mugil cephalas Linnaeus, 1758
Mugil cephalus ashanteensis Bleeker, 1863
Myxus barnardi Gilchrist & Thompson, 1914
Myxus superficialis Klunzinger, 1870
Mugil our Forsskål, 1775
Mugil cephalotus Valenciennes, 1836
Mugil cephalus rammelsbergi Tschudi, 1846
Mugil cephalus cephalus Linnaeus, 1758
Mugil gelatinosus Klunzinger, 1872
Mugil dobula Günther, 1861
Arnion cephalus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Myxus caecutiens Günther, 1876
Mugil muelleri Klunzinger, 1879
Mugil vulpinus Nardo, 1847
Mugil hypselosoma Ogilby, 1897
Mugil crenilabis our Forsskål, 1775
Mugil lineatus Valenciennes, 1836
Mugil mülleri Klunzinger, 1879
Mugil tang Bloch, 1794
Mugil grandis Castelnau, 1879
Mugil mulleri Klunzinger, 1879
Mugil provensalis Risso, 1810
Mugil mexicanus Steindachner, 1876
Mugil ashanteensis Bleeker, 1863
Mugil rammelsbergii Tschudi, 1846
Mugil albula Linnaeus, 1766
Myxus pacificus Steindachner, 1900

Source: Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. FishBase. Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, 1758

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Mugil cephalus

Commercial designations

Main production methods

Main fishing gears

Beach seines

Hooks and lines

Pots and traps

Surrounding nets and lift nets

Trawls

Recognized designations

protected designation of origin (PDO)

Nutrition values

Freshness categories

Size categories

Habitat

FAO major fishing areas

Area 1 - Africa - Inland waters

Area 2 - America, North - Inland waters

Area 21 - Atlantic, Northwest

Area 27 - Atlantic, Northeast

Area 3 - America, South - Inland waters

Area 31 - Atlantic, Western Central

Area 34 - Atlantic, Eastern Central

Area 37 - Mediterranean and Black Sea

Area 4 - Asia - Inland waters

Area 41 - Atlantic, Southwest

Area 47 - Atlantic, Southeast

Area 5 - Europe - Inland waters

Area 51 - Indian Ocean, Western

Area 57 - Indian Ocean, Eastern

Area 6 - Oceania - Inland waters

Area 61 - Pacific, Northwest

Area 71 - Pacific, Western Central

Area 77 - Pacific, Eastern Central

Area 81 - Pacific, Southwest

Area 87 - Pacific, Southeast

Distribution maps