Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) >
Mugiliformes (Mullets) >
Mugilidae (Mullets)
Etymology: Chelon: Greek, chelone = turtle (Ref. 45335).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; freshwater; brackish; demersal; catadromous (Ref. 46888). Subtropical; 16°S - 36°S
Southeast Atlantic: South African coastal waters from Walfish Bay to Natal.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 25.0  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 40.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3573); common length : 30.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2830)
Found in coastal waters, mainly off rocky points and sandy beaches; may enter estuaries which serve as nursery areas (Ref. 27121). Feed mainly on diatoms and detritus, but also on planktonic crustaceans (Ref. 27121). Oviparous, eggs are pelagic and non-adhesive (Ref. 205).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Smith, M.M. and J.L.B. Smith, 1986. Mugilidae. p. 714-720. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin. (Ref. 4393)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 123251)
CITES (Ref. 118484)
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
115969): 14.8 - 27, mean 24.8 °C (based on 56 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5005 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01072 (0.00580 - 0.01980), b=2.96 (2.81 - 3.11), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.4 ±0.16 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (40 of 100) .