Issue
Mullus barbatus barbatus Linnaeus, 1758 and Mullus barbatus ponticus Essipov, 1927 (restricted to Black and Azov Seas) are constantly recognized as subspecies rank, including in Eschmeyer's CofF (ver. Nov. 2020). Related information is found under the "Stocks" link in the species summary page / More info.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal; depth range 10 - 328 m (Ref. 56504), usually 100 - 300 m (Ref. 35388). Subtropical; 58°N - 14°N, 32°W - 42°E
Eastern Atlantic: Norway, British Isles (occasionally Scandinavia) to Dakar, Senegal, Canary Islands, Mediterranean, including Azores and Madeira.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm 11.5, range 10 - ? cm
Max length : 38.2 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 88921); common length : 20.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 4845); max. published weight: 680.00 g (Ref. 88921)
Found on gravel, sand and mud bottoms of the continental shelf. Depth range from 10-300 m (Ref. 07313) and up to depth of 328 in the eastern Ionian Sea (Ref. 56504). Feeds on small benthic crustaceans, worms and mollusks (Ref. 4845). Marketed mainly fresh (Ref. 9987).
Ben-Tuvia, A., 1990. Mullidae. p. 827-829. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon; SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 7313)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 13.1 - 15.9, mean 14.2 °C (based on 119 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5625 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00871 (0.00796 - 0.00953), b=3.09 (3.06 - 3.12), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this species (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.1 ±0.1 se; based on diet studies.
Generation time: 3.2 (2.7 - 4.1) years. Estimated as median ln(3)/K based on 51
growth studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.11-0.5; tmax=11).
Prior r = 0.68, 95% CL = 0.45 - 1.02, Based on 27 full stock assessments.
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (32 of 100).
Climate Vulnerability (Ref.
125649): Low vulnerability (13 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 80.2 [44.6, 166.7] mg/100g; Iron = 0.473 [0.187, 1.774] mg/100g; Protein = 19 [18, 20] %; Omega3 = 0.783 [0.501, 1.241] g/100g; Selenium = 23.5 [11.0, 50.9] μg/100g; VitaminA = 13.5 [4.5, 47.1] μg/100g; Zinc = 0.249 [0.163, 0.554] mg/100g (wet weight); based on
nutrient studies.