General Description: Striped Mullet (Mugil cephalus), or more properly Flathead Mullet, are fusiform, schooling fish that grow to about 30 inches. The color is olive-green dorsally, silvery on the sides, and white below. The large lateral scales each have a dark central spot, which align to give the appearance of lateral stripes. The lips are thin, the eye is large, and the pectoral fins are short.

Taxonomy: Family: Mugilidae.

Diet: Juveniles feed on zooplankton, while adults primarily eat aquatic vegetation (algae), but they probably get some aquatic insects too.

Favored Habitat: Warm salt and brackish waters, also warm fresh water in the lower reaches of large rivers.

Where to Find: Don't look for Striped Mullet around Las Vegas. Rather, look for them in the lower Colorado River, in the southeastern US, and in warm coastal waters worldwide.

Comments: Striped mullet are major prey items for Osprey and Bald Eagle in the US Gulf Coast region.