Striped mullet, Grey mullet, Flat-head mullet Moderately elongate, robust body; head broad, flattened above; eyes mostly covered by a well developed transparent fatty eyelid; mouth small (rear end of upper jaw reaching to level of anterior rim of eye), opens at front, lips thin, with knob at front of lower lips; outer row of teeth in jaws simple (not forked); no teeth on tongue or roof of mouth; two short, widely spaced dorsal fins, IV + I, 8; anal fin III, 8; pectorals high on body, 1st ray hard, fin not reaching level of origin of first dorsal fin; pelvics inserted behind pectoral base; forked tail; scales moderate to large, rough on body of adults; scales in lateral series 39-44; second dorsal and anal with scales on front and base only; no lateral line.
Olive on back, silvery on sides, and white below; 6-7 brownish stripes on side.
Size: grows to 135 cm.
Habitat: forms schools in sandy bottom areas, but large adults sometimes seen near the surface in clear water near reefs.
Depth: 0-125 m.
Circumglobal in tropical and temperate seas; Southern California to the Gulf of California to Peru; Cocos and Galapagos.
