Thicklip grey mullet

The thicklip grey mullet, Chelon labrosus, is a coastal fish of the family Mugilidae. It typically is about 32 cm (13 in) long, with 75 cm (30 in) being the maximum recorded.^[3] It is named after its thick upper lip and silvery-grey appearance.^{[citation needed]}

Thicklip grey mullet
Conservation status
Near Threatened  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Mugiliformes
Family:	Mugilidae
Genus:	Chelon
Species:	C. labrosus
Binomial name
Chelon labrosus (A. Risso, 1827)
Chelon labrosus range
Synonyms[2]
Mugil labrosus Risso, 1827 Crenimugil labrosus (Risso, 1827) Mugil chelo Cuvier, 1829 Chelon chelo (Cuvier, 1829) Liza chelo (Cuvier, 1829) Mugil curtus Yarrell, 1836 Mugil corrugatus Lowe, 1838 Mugil buosega Nardo, 1847 Mugil septentrionalis Günther, 1861

It is a common fish of shallow, sheltered coasts, estuaries, and around power station and sewer outfalls; it can also enter fresh water areas.^{[citation needed]}

It lives in the northeastern Atlantic Ocean from Iceland to Senegal and Cape Verde, including the Mediterranean Sea and the southwestern Black Sea. This species is partially migratory, heading northwards in summer.^{[citation needed]}

It feeds mainly on benthic diatoms, epiphytic algae, small invertebrates and detritus.^{[citation needed]}

The thicklip grey mullet lays its eggs in winter. Both eggs and fry are pelagic.^{[citation needed]}

Human interaction

The thicklip grey mullet is valued both as a food fish and as a tenacious game fish.^[4]

Parasites

As most species of fish, the thicklip grey mullet is infected by a variety of parasite species. A 2023 paper showed that it harbors eleven species of Myxobolus (Myxozoa).^[5]