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Mullet
Rouget
Appears in
Published 2010
Scientific name: Mullus
The mullet is a bright red fish native to the European and North African coastlines. Mullets are small fish, the largest only reaching 16 inches (40 cm) in length. Both the English term mullet and the French term rouget cover many families of fish in the order perciformes, that includes the family mullus.
The two different species of mullet are fished for consumption. The red mullet (rouget barbet; Mullus barbatus) is a mud fish found off the Atlantic shores of France, Spain, and North Africa. It reaches a size of 12 inches (30 cm) and is easily recognizable by its mottled pattern and steeply sloping forehead. The striped mullet (surmulet; Mullus surmuletus) is a rock fish found in the coastal regions of the Atlantic Ocean from England down to North Africa as well as in the Mediterranean Sea. It is slightly larger than the red mullet, measuring up to 16 inches (40 cm), and is differentiated from it by its striped flanks and dorsal fin, as well as by the much gentler slope of its forehead.