Mullet (fish)

The mullets, also called grey mullets, are a family of fish with ray-shaped fins. They live in warm and cool waters near coasts all over the world, and some live in fresh water too. People in Mediterranean Europe have eaten mullets as food since Roman times. There are about 78 kinds of mullets in 26 groups.

Mullets are easy to recognize because they have two separate fins on their backs, small triangle-shaped mouths, and no side-line organ. They eat small bits of dead plants and animals. Most mullets have very strong stomachs and a special throat to help them digest food.

In recent years, "mullet" also came to be a slang word for a hairstyle that is short at the front and top, and long at the back. This slang word is said to have been started by Mike D of the Beastie Boys in 1995, and after 2000 was spread by a small group of people in San Francisco through the Internet.

 Behavior 
Mullets often show a behavior where they jump out of the water. There are two types of jumps. One is a fast, straight jump to get away from enemies. The other is a slower jump, where the fish turns sideways and makes a big splash. The reason for the slower jump is not clear, but some think it helps the fish get air with more oxygen using a small organ above its throat.

 Development 
The growth of young mullet fish has been studied a lot. The baby stages of one type, Mugil cephalus, are studied more because it lives in many places and is important for fish farming. In 2021, scientists looked closely at how the bones of this fish grow. They found four stages before hatching and six stages after. This study helped explain some unclear things about adult mullets and gave useful details for studying how mullets are related. It also helped fish farmers know how to spot problems when raising mullets.

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Category:Teleosts