Appearance
- Stout silver body
- Blackish blotch at base of pectoral fin
- No distinct horizontal stripes
- Gold/bronze spot on opercle and upper portion of iris
- Nine to ten soft anal rays
Similar Species
Striped mullet (M. cephalus), bold horizontal stripes, no distinct color on opercle, and 8 soft anal rays. Fantail mullet (M. gyrans), no distinct horizontal stripes, gold/orange patches on body, opercle, and upper portion of iris, and 8 soft anal rays.
Size
Common up to 13 inches, less than 2 pounds.
Habitat
Found in a wide range of salinities, including fresh and brackish water. Commonly found inshore and occasionally in offshore waters.
Behavior
Often form large schools and spawn offshore in spring.
Feed on microscopic algae, organic detritus, and plankton.
White and striped mullet are important forage species (prey) for a variety of finfish, as well as birds and marine mammals.