Description

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 6. Red to reddish dorsally, grading to whitish ventrally, with 2 to 5 longitudinal yellow stripes that are generally not sharply defined. First dorsal fin with 2 orange to red stripes, the outer part of fin sometimes blackish. Second dorsal fin with 4 or 5 narrow reddish stripes. Caudal fin reddish. Snout short, the dorsal profile steep, forming an angle of about 60º and nearly straight. Interorbital space broad and flat. Teeth very small, in a villiform band in lower jaw, none in upper jaw. No spine in opercle (Ref 52648).

Common Names

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Mulliformes

Family: Mullidae

Genus: Mullus

Species: Mullus auratus Jordan & Gilbert, 1882

Climate Zone

Biology

Inhabits neritic waters, especially over sand or mud bottoms (Ref. 5217). Flesh considered excellent quality; marketed fresh (Ref. 3792).

Habitat

demersal

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Threat to Humans

Harmless