Chelon auratus (Risso, 1810) [N]—Golden grey mullet; Kiphon zahov
Taxonomy. Original description: Mugil auratus Risso, 1810: 344 [Nice, France, northwestern Mediterranean Sea; no types known].— Israel synonyms: Planiliza aurata (Risso, 1810); Liza aurata (Risso, 1810).—Revisions: Durand & Borsa (2015: 268).—Illustration: Ben-Tuvia in Whitehead et al. (1986: 1199, fig.).
Status in Israel. First record from Israeli freshwater was by Yashouv & Brener (1961); confirmed by Goren & Ortal (1999).—Israel material: HUJ.
Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Israel: Mediterranean watersheds.—Distribution in River Basin: 1- Western Basin, 2-Dead Sea Basin.—General distribution: Western Baltic Sea; North Sea; Mediterranean Sea; Sea of Marmara; Black Sea; Sea of Azov; Eastern Atlantic: Scotland south to Senegal, including Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands (introduced elsewhere).—Distribution in Ecoregion: 436-Coastal Levant, 438- Jordan River.—Habitat: This species is pelagic, near shore, sometimes in lagoons and estuaries, rarely in freshwaters. Among the Mugilidae recorded from freshwaters, this is the least tolerant of freshwaters. It spawns at sea. Freshwater, brackish, marine.
Economic importance. Commercially important.
Conservation. Conservation status in Israel: Unknown.—IUCN: LC (IUCN 2023).—Threats: No major threats known.—Low sensitivity to human activities.—Not considered a keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.— Low priority for conservation action.
Remarks. It was stocked accidentally in the freshwater system.
Chelon labrosus (Risso, 1827) [N]—Thicklip grey mullet; Kiphon kilon
Taxonomy. Original description: Mugil labrosus Risso, 1827: 389 [Nice, France, northwestern Mediterranean Sea; no types known].— Israel synonyms: Mugil chelo Cuvier, 1829.—Revisions: Durand & Borsa (2015: 268).— Illustration: Ben-Tuvia in Whitehead et al. (1986: 1198, fig.).
Status in Israel. First record from Israeli freshwater was by Yashouv & Brener (1961); confirmed by Goren & Ortal (1999), Golani & Mires (2000).—Israel material: HUJ.
Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Israel:Mediterranean watersheds.—Distribution in River Basin: 1-Western Basin, 2-Dead Sea Basin.—General distribution: Baltic Sea; North Sea; Mediterranean Sea; Sea of Marmara; Black Sea; eastern Atlantic: Norway and Iceland south to Senegal, including Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands.—Distribution in Ecoregion: 436-Coastal Levant, 438- Jordan River.—Habitat: This species is pelagic, near shores, sometimes in lagoons and estuaries. It spawns at sea in coastal surface water. Freshwater, brackish, marine.
Economic importance. Commercially important.
Conservation. Conservation status in Israel: Unknown.—IUCN: LC (IUCN 2023).—Threats: No major threats known.—Low sensitivity to human activities.—Not considered a keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.— Low priority for conservation action.
Remarks. It was stocked accidentally in the freshwater systems.
Chelon ramada (Risso, 1827) [N]—Thinlip mullet; Kiphon tubar
Taxonomy. Original description: Mugil ramada Risso, 1827: 390 [Nice, France, northwestern Mediterranean Sea; no types known].— Israel synonyms: Liza ramado (Risso, 1810); Chelon ramado (Risso, 1827); Liza ramada (Risso, 1827).—Revisions: Durand & Borsa (2015: 268).—Illustration: Ben-Tuvia in Whitehead et al. (1986: 1200, fig.) as Liza ramada.
Status in Israel. First record from Israeli freshwater by Yashouv & Brener (1961); confirmed by Goren & Ortal (1999: 4) as Liza ramada, Golani & Mires (2000), Tadmor-Levi et al. (2022).—Israel material: HUJ.
Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Israel: Mediterranean watersheds.—Distribution in River Basin: 1- Western Basin, 2-Dead Sea Basin, 3-Kinneret Basin.—General distribution: Western Baltic Sea; Mediterranean Sea; Sea of Marmara; Black Sea; eastern Atlantic: southern Norway south to Senegal, including Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands and Cape Verde Islands. Introduced in Red Sea.—Distribution in Ecoregion: 436-Coastal Levant, 438- Jordan River.—Habitat: This species is pelagic, near shore, entering lagoons and the lower reaches of rivers, and is often found in polluted waters. It spawns offshore at sea. Freshwater, brackish, marine.
Economic importance. Commercially important.
Conservation. Conservation status in Israel: Unknown.—IUCN: LC (IUCN 2023).—Threats: No major threats known.—Low sensitivity to human activities.—Not considered a keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.— Low priority for conservation action.
Remarks. This species is naturally found in Mediterranean watersheds. Its fingerlings are annualy stocked to Lake Kinneret and in fish farms.
Chelon saliens (Risso, 1810) [N]—Leaping mullet; Kiphon harutz
Taxonomy. Original description: Mugil saliens Risso, 1810: 345 [Nice, France, northwestern Mediterranean Sea; no types known].— Israel synonyms: Liza saliens (Risso, 1810).—Revisions: Durand & Borsa (2015: 268).— Illustration: Ben-Tuvia in Whitehead et al. (1986: 1201, fig.) as Liza saliens.
Status in Israel. First record from Israeli freshwater was by Reich (1978); confirmed by Goren & Ortal (1999), Golani & Mires (2000).—Israel material: HUJ.
Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Israel: Mediterranean watersheds.—Distribution in River Basin: 1- Western Basin, 2-Dead Sea Basin.—General distribution: Mediterranean Sea; Sea of Marmara; Black Sea; Sea of Azov; Eastern Atlantic: Bay of Biscay (Spain) south to Western Sahara, including Madeira; introduced in Caspian Sea area.—Distribution in Ecoregion: 436-Coastal Levant, 438- Jordan River.—Habitat: This species is pelagic, near shore, and sometimes in lagoons and estuaries. It spawns at sea. Freshwater, brackish, marine.
Economic importance. Commercially important.
Conservation. Conservation status in Israel: Unknown.—IUCN: LC (IUCN 2023).—Threats: No major threats known.—Low sensitivity to human activities.—Not considered a keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.— Low priority for conservation action.
Remarks. It was stocked accidentally in freshwater systems.
Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, 1758 [N]—Flathead mullet; Kiphon buri
Taxonomy. Original description: Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, 1758: 316 [European sea, Europe; syntypes: NRM 43 (1), 44 (2), 143 (1)].— Israel synonyms: None.—Revisions: Durand et al. (2012: 692).—Illustration: Ben-Tuvia in Whitehead et al. (1986: 1202, fig.).
Status in Israel. First record from Israeli freshwater was by Yashouv & Brener (1961); confirmed by Goren & Ortal (1999: 4), Golani & Mires (2000).—Israel material: HUJ.
Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Israel: Mediterranean watersheds.—Distribution in River Basin: 1- Western Basin, 3-Kinneret Basin.—General distribution: Nearly circumglobal in temperate and tropical seas and estuaries (including Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Marmara, Black Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Sea of Japan); introduced elsewhere.—Distribution in Ecoregion: 436-Coastal Levant, 438- Jordan River.—Habitat: This species is a euryhaline, pelagic nearshore species that sometimes forage in lagoons, estuaries, and lower courses of rivers and can tolerate freshwater. It inhabits inshore marine waters, estuaries, lagoons, and rivers, where it can tolerate wide ranges of temperature and salinity. Freshwater, brackish, marine.
Economic importance. Commercially important.
Conservation. Conservation status in Israel: Unknown.—IUCN: LC (IUCN 2023).—Threats: No major threats known.—Low sensitivity to human activities.—Not considered a keystone species.—Decline status: Stable.—Low priority for conservation action.
Remarks. This species is naturally found in Mediterranean watersheds. Its fingerlings stocked annually in Lake Kinneret and in fish farms.
Oedalechilus labeo (Cuvier, 1829) [N]—Boxlip mullet; Kiphon siftani
Taxonomy. Original description: Mugil labeo Cuvier, 1829: 233 [Mediterranean Sea; lectotype: MNHN A-3606; lectotype selected by Blanc & Hureau (1971: 692)].— Israel synonyms: None.—Revisions: Durand et al. (2012: 693).—Illustration: Ben-Tuvia in Whitehead et al. (1986: 1203, fig.).
Status in Israel. First record from Israel by Goren & Ortal (1999).—Israel material: HUJ.
Distribution and habitat. Distribution in Israel:Mediterranean watersheds.—Distribution in River Basin: 1-Western Basin.—General distribution: Mediterranean Sea; Sea of Marmara; Eastern Atlantic: Portugal, northern Morocco, and Madeira; introduced elsewhere.—Distribution in Ecoregion: 436-Coastal Levant.—Habitat: This species is a benthopelagic, neritic species found inshore, at the mouths of rivers and sewage effluents, but not entering brackish or freshwater. Freshwater, brackish, marine.
Economic importance. Commercially important.
Conservation. Conservation status in Israel: Unknown.—IUCN: LC (IUCN 2023).—Threats: No major threats known.—Low sensitivity to human activities.—Not considered a keystone species.—Decline status: Unknown.— Low priority for conservation action.
Remark. It was stocked accidentally in the freshwater system.