FISHES OF CHESAPEAKE BAY 
193 
73. Genus MUGIL Linnaeus. Mullets 
Body robust, somewhat compressed; head moderate, usually about as broad as deep, scaled 
above and on sides; eye in adult with a strongly developed adipose membrane, small or wanting 
in young; mouth subinferior, oblique, the gape wide but not deep; lower jaw angulated; jaws with 
one or a few series of small, flexible, villiform teeth; no teeth on palatines and vomer; anal fin in 
very young with two spines, adults constantly with three spines, the first soft ray in the young 
transforming into a spine; stomach with very heavy, muscular walls, gizzardlike. 
The species of this genus run in schools, frequently swimming at the surface, where their move- 
ments may be observed and whereby they betray their presence to the fishermen. Certain species, 
at least, have the habit of leaping from the water, sometimes clearing the water as much as 3 feet. 
It is from this habit that the common name “jumping mullet” has originated. Only two species 
of mullets are known from the Chesapeake. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES 
a. Anal fin with III, 8 (very young with II, 9) rays; second dorsal and anal fins with few or no scales; 
rows of scales on sides with dark longitudinal stripes (very young, bright silvery) _ ceplialus , p. 193 
aa. Anal fin with III, 9 (very young with II, 10) rays; second dorsal and anal fins densely scaled 
in adults; rows of scales on sides without definite dark stripes (very young, bright 
silvery) curema, p. 196 
96. Mugil cephalus Linnaeus. Striped mullet; Jumping mullet; “Jumper”; Mullet; “Fatback.” 
Mugil cephalus Linnseus, Syst. Nat.,ed. X, 1758, p.316, Europe; Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 811, PI. CXXVI, fig. 343. 
Mugil lineatus Uhler and Lugger, 1876, ed. I, p. 140; ed. II, p. 120. 
Mugil albula Bean, 1891 , p. 92. 
(?) Querimana gyrans Jordan and Evermann, 1896-1900, p. 818; Evermann and Hildebrand, 1910, p. 160. 
Head 3.3 to 4.5; depth 3.3 to 3.75; D. IY-I , 8; A. Ill, 8 (young of about 50 millimeters and less 
with II, 9 rays); scales 38 to 42. Body rather robust, somewhat compressed; caudal peduncle 
rather strongly compressed, its depth 3.1 to 3 in head; head at eyes about as broad as deep; snout 
short and broad, 4 to 6 in head; eye 3.3 to 4.2; interorbital 2.25 to 3.5; mouth moderate, oblique, the 
lower jaw included, the gape somewhat broader than deep; adipose eyelid strongly developed in 
adult, undeveloped in young; gill rakers numerous, slender, close-set; scales moderate, with crenate 
membranous borders, extending on caudal fin and a few on the anterior rays of dorsal and anal; 
origin of spinous dorsal nearer base of caudal than tip of snout in adults, the opposite being true of 
the young; origin of soft dorsal a little behind origin of anal; caudal fin forked, the lobes of about 
equal length; anal fin similar to second dorsal, but longer; ventral fins abdominal, inserted about 
equidistant from tip of snout and middle of anal base in adult, proportionately more posterior in 
young; pectoral fins not reaching opposite origin of first dorsal, 1.3 to 2 in head. 
Color of adult bluish gray and greenish above, silvery below; scales on sides with dusky centers, 
forming dark longitudinal lines along the rows of scales; fins mostly plain, some of them more or 
less dusky; dorsals, caudal, and pectorals sometimes grayish green in life; axil of pectoral bluish. 
Young, bright silvery. 
