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Lebranche mullet (Mugil liza) — Mugilidae

Lebranche mullet

Mugil liza
Family: Mugilidae
DD · Data Deficient

The Lebranche mullet (Mugil liza) is a fish that lives in both fresh and salt water of the family Mugilidae that grows up to 80 cm.

Length
80 cm
Water
Euryhaline
Depth
10.0–? m
Diet
Omnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Western Atlantic
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The lebranche mullet is a large mullet from the western Atlantic, from Bermuda and Florida through the Caribbean to Argentina. The species grows to about 80 cm and has a streamlined, silvery body with a blue-green back. It forms large schools in coastal water, brackish estuaries, hypersaline lagoons and also enters fresh water; it migrates along the coast to spawn. As a detritivore it scrapes the upper bottom layer and filters algae and organic matter. It is an important food fish; the salted roe is considered a delicacy. Owing to insufficient data the IUCN lists the species as Data Deficient (DD).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Lebranche mullet?

The Lebranche mullet has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern. Forms large shoals; detritus eater that scrapes the bottom

Where does the Lebranche mullet live?

The Lebranche mullet lives in both fresh and salt water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Western Atlantic

How big does the Lebranche mullet get?

The Lebranche mullet grows to a maximum of about 80 cm. On average the species is around 40 cm.

Is the Lebranche mullet dangerous to humans?

No, the Lebranche mullet is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Lebranche mullet edible?

Yes, the Lebranche mullet is commonly eaten.

More photos

Lebranche mullet (Mugil liza) — Mugilidae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Santiago Mailhos, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Lebranche mullet (Mugil liza) — Mugilidae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — H. L. Todd (Public domain)
Lebranche mullet (Mugil liza) — Mugilidae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) mik, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Lebranche mullet (Mugil liza) — Mugilidae — 5
Leandro Cardoso (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
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All data

Identification

English name
Lebranche mullet verified
Scientific name
Mugil liza
Family
Mugilidae
Other names
Fantail mullet; Lebranche mullet; Liza; Mullet; Blueback mullet verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
80.0 verified
Average length (cm)
40.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thin sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Euryhaline sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
10.0 verified
Natural range
Western Atlantic verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Omnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Organic detritus and filamentous algae inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Migratory coastal mullet; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Forms large shoals; detritus eater that scrapes the bottom sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Coastal fishing with nets or a casting rod sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Mugil

More from the family Mugilidae

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