Chelon saliens (Risso, 1810)
Leaping mullet
photo by Abbasi, K.

Family:  Mugilidae (Mullets)
Max. size:  40 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; brackish; marine; depth range - 10 m
Distribution:  Eastern Atlantic: Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, Sea of Azov and Atlantic coasts from Morocco to France. Introduced to Iran and is now naturally occurring in the Caspian Sea basin (Ref. 50218).
Diagnosis:   
Biology:  Adults usually in schools inhabit coastal waters (Ref. 3573); sometimes in lagoons and estuaries (Ref. 59043). Juveniles around 2.0 cm SL move to coastal lagoons and estuaries in summer and autumn (Ref. 59043). Adults are herbivorous feeding on algae and vegetal detritus while juveniles feed on zooplankton until about 3 cm SL, then on benthic organisms until 5 cm SL (Ref. 9987, 59043). Reproduce in summer (Ref. 2804). Oviparous, eggs are pelagic and non-adhesive (Ref. 205). Utilized for roe, but also fresh, smoked and frozen (Ref. 9987).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 01 January 2008 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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