# Golden grey mullet

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Species of fish

Golden grey mullet Conservation status Near Threatened (IUCN 3.1)[1] Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Actinopterygii Order: Mugiliformes Family: Mugilidae Genus: Chelon Species: C. auratus Binomial name Chelon auratus (Risso, 1810) Synonyms[2] Chelon aurata (Risso, 1810) Liza aurata (Risso, 1810) Liza auratus (Risso, 1810) Mugil auratus Risso, 1810 Mugil breviceps Valenciennes, 1836 Mugil cryptocheilos Valenciennes, 1836 Mugil cryptochilus Valenciennes, 1836 Mugil lotreganus Nardo, 1847 Mugil maderensis Lowe, 1839 Mugil octoradiatus Günther, 1861 Planiliza aurata (Risso, 1810)

The **golden grey mullet** (***Chelon auratus***) is a species of [euryhaline](/source/Euryhaline) [ray-finned fish](/source/Actinopterygii) belonging to the [family](/source/Family_(taxonomy)) [Mugilidae](/source/Mullet_(fish)), the mullets or grey mullets. This species is found in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean and the [Mediterranean Sea Basin](/source/Mediterranean_basin). The golden grey mullet is a target for both commercial and recreational fisheries.

## Description

It has hydrodynamic, very elegant elongated, more or less cylindrical body, with strong tail-fin. It has dark grey back that transit into silver white toward the belly with several grey horizontal stripes. Golden spot is present in gill covers.[3]

Its maximum length is around 60 centimetres (24 in) and weight around 1.5 kilograms (3 lb 5 oz), but commonly it is much smaller fish with average specimen having 30 centimetres (12 in) in length.[4]

Reproduction takes place in the sea, from July to November.[3]

## Habitat

*Chelon auratus* feeding in shallows

It is present in Eastern Atlantic from [Scotland](/source/Scotland) to [Cape verde](/source/Cape_Verde), in the Mediterranean and Black Sea and in coastal waters from southern Norway and Sweden (but not Baltic) to Morocco. It is rare off coasts of Mauritania. It has been introduced into the Caspian Sea.[1]

Golden grey mullet is a [neritic](/source/Neritic) species, usually inshore, entering lagoons, ports and estuaries, but rarely moves into freshwater. It feeds on small benthic organisms, detritus and occasionally insects and plankton.[5]

It ranges from shallows to depths of about 20 metres (70 ft), but it is most common between 1–10 metres (0–30 ft). It prefers sandy bottoms covered with various vegetation and smaller rocks where it can find its food and protection from predators like larger [eels](/source/European_eel), [European sea bass](/source/European_sea_bass), [Common dentex](/source/Dentex_dentex) and similar predatory species.

## Fishing

In many countries there is a minimum allowed fish length for golden grey mullet of 20 centimetres (7.9 in). In some estuaries it is main target of both commercial fishery and recreational fishermen.

Commercially it is caught using special nets for mullets that allows catching specimen that jump over first net line.[6] The average annual catch of golden grey mullet in Croatian waters is 50 tonnes (49 long tons; 55 short tons).[7] In sport and recreational fishing, it is often caught on rod and reel, using rigs with floats and hooks baited with paste made out of flour, cheese and fish guts, but sometimes will accept bread, cheese and similar baits.[4]

## Cuisine

Meat is white, soft and very tender. Taste depends on fishing location. Golden grey mullet can be pan fried, especially smaller fish. Barbequed with some olive oil, lemon juice and parsley is often considered a delicacy.[8]

Also, it can be used as part of mixed fish stew.

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-IUCN_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-IUCN_1-1) Ford, M. (2024). ["*Chelon auratus*"](https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/135579/21910530). *[IUCN Red List of Threatened Species](/source/IUCN_Red_List)*. **2024** e.T135579A21910530. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2305/IUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T135579A21910530.en](https://doi.org/10.2305%2FIUCN.UK.2024-2.RLTS.T135579A21910530.en). Retrieved 16 August 2025.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Bailly, Nicolas (2017). ["*Chelon auratus* (Risso, 1810)"](https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=1044127). *WoRMS*. [World Register of Marine Species](/source/World_Register_of_Marine_Species). Retrieved 26 April 2024.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-UKFish_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-UKFish_3-1) ["Golden Grey Mullet"](http://www.uk-fish.info/pages/goldengreymullet.html). www.uk-fish.info. Retrieved 27 October 2018.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-BSF_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-BSF_4-1) ["Mullet Species"](http://britishseafishing.co.uk/mullet-species/). britishseafishing.co.uk. 14 September 2012. Retrieved 27 October 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FishBase_5-0)** [Froese, Rainer](/source/Rainer_Froese); [Pauly, Daniel](/source/Daniel_Pauly) (eds.). ["*Chelon auratus*"](https://www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Chelon&speciesname=auratus). *[FishBase](/source/FishBase)*. June 2018 version.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Cornwall_6-0)** ["Beach Seine Netting"](http://www.cornwallgoodseafoodguide.org.uk/fishing-methods/beach-seine-netting.php). Cornwall Seafood Guide. Retrieved 27 October 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FAO_7-0)** Dulčić J.; Soldo A. & Jardas I. ["Review of Croatian selected scientific literature on species mostly exploited by the national small-scale fisheries"](http://www.faoadriamed.org/pdf/publications/TD15/WP_DulcicB.pdf) (PDF). FAO. Retrieved 27 October 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Howto_8-0)** ["Golden Grey Mullet - *Liza aurata*"](https://web.archive.org/web/20181027143148/http://www.seafishinghowto.com/marine-species/fish/golden-grey-mullet-liza-aurata.html). www.seafishinghowto.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.seafishinghowto.com/marine-species/fish/golden-grey-mullet-liza-aurata.html) on 27 October 2018. Retrieved 27 October 2018.

## External links

Media related to [*Liza aurata*](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Liza_aurata) at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Mugiliformes species (Mullets) Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Actinopterygii Order Mugiliformes Mugilidae Agonostomus Comoro mullet (A. catalai) Fairy mullet (A. telfairii) Aldrichetta Yellow-eye mullet (A. forsteri) Cestraeus Cestraeus goldiei Cestraeus oxyrhyncus Lobed river mullet (C. plicatilis) Chaenomugil Snouted mullet (C. proboscideus) Chelon Golden grey mullet (C. auratus) Cape Verde mullet (C. bispinosus) Diassanga mullet (C. bandialensis) Chelon caeruleus Grooved mullet (C. dumerili) Thicklip grey mullet (C. labrosus) Chelon natalensis Thinlip grey mullet (C. ramada) South African mullet (C. richardsonii) Leaping mullet (C. saliens) Striped mullet (C. tricuspidens) Crenimugil Bluetail mullet (C. buchanani) Fringelip mullet (C. crenilabis) Half fringelip mullet (C. heterocheilos) Longfin mullet (C. pedaraki) Bluespot mullet (C. seheli) Dajaus Mountain mullet (D. monticola) Ellochelon Squaretail mullet (E. vaigiensis) Gracimugil Flat-tail mullet (G. argenteus) Joturus Bobo mullet (J. pichardi) Minimugil Yellowtail mullet (M. cascasia) Mugil Banana mullet (M. bananensis) Mugil brevirostris Broussonnet's mullet (M. broussonnetii) Leaping African mullet (M. capurrii) Flathead grey mullet (M. cephalus) White mullet (M. curema) Dwarf mullet (M. curvidens) Redeye mullet (M. gaimardianus) Galapagos mullet (M. galapagensis) Hospe mullet (M. hospes) Parassi mullet (M. incilis) Lebranche mullet (M. liza) Mugil margaritae Mugil rubrioculus Liseta mullet (M. setosus) Thoburn's mullet (M. thoburni) Mugil trichodon Myxus Sand grey mullet (M. elongatus) Neochelon Sicklefin mullet (N. falcipinnis) Neomyxus Acute-jawed mullet (N. leuciscus) Oedalechilus Boxlip mullet (O. labeo) Osteomugil Longarm mullet (O. cunnesius) Kanda (O. engeli) Osteomugil formosae Longfinned mullet (O. perusii) Robust mullet (O. robustus) Speigler's mullet (O. speigleri) Parachelon Largescaled mullet (P. grandisquamis) Paramugil Silver mullet (P. georgii) Broad-mouthed mullet (P. parmatus) Planiliza Abu mullet (P. abu) Diamond mullet (P. alata) Keeled mullet (P. carinata) So-iuy mullet (P. haematocheilus) Klunzinger's mullet (P. klunzingeri) Eastern keelback mullet (P. lauvergnii) Largescale mullet (P. macrolepis) Saint Lucia mullet (P. melinoptera) Indian mullet (P. mandapamensis) Planiliza ordensis Gold-spot mullet (P. parsia) Persian mullet (P. persicus) Tade gray mullet (P. planiceps) Greenback mullet (P. subviridis) Planiliza tade Plicomugil Hornlip mullet (P. labiosus) Pseudomyxus Freshwater mullet (P. capensis) Rhinomugil Corsula (R. corsula) Sicamugil Burmese mullet (S. hamiltonii) Squalomugil Shark mullet (S. nasutus) Trachystoma Pinkeye mullet (T. petardi)

Taxon identifiers Chelon auratus Wikidata: Q61885602 BOLD: 783403 CoL: TVBL FishBase: 1735 GBIF: 9466310 IUCN: 135579 NCBI: 48191 OBIS: 1044127 Open Tree of Life: 418662 WoRMS: 1044127 Chelon aurata Wikidata: Q46638525 CoL: TVBM GBIF: 10967605 WoRMS: 1042828 Liza aurata Wikidata: Q1275956 Wikispecies: Liza aurata ADW: Liza_aurata CoL: 6QJXQ EUNIS: 10086 Fauna Europaea: 304789 Fauna Europaea (new): 4ebfbdc4-2461-47e1-9e11-616a06ecd878 GBIF: 9466310 iNaturalist: 104758 IRMNG: 10153777 ITIS: 170377 NBN: NBNSYS0000188628 Observation.org: 2065 Open Tree of Life: 418662 Plazi: BA278E04-4B30-80D9-AAA5-A7CA5DC1AE40 WoRMS: 126978 Mugil auratus Wikidata: Q12867909 CoL: 6S2WN EPPO: MUGIAU EUNIS: 10158 GBIF: 2400766 IRMNG: 11323186 ITIS: 170340 WoRMS: 151505

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Golden grey mullet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_grey_mullet) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_grey_mullet?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.