The Liza or Lebranche mullet (Mugil liza) is a species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of fish

Fish

Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...

 in the Mugilidae family. It is found in the western Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea and is fished commercially.

Description

The maximum length is 80 centimetres but a more normal size is 40 centimetres. There are 5 dorsal spines with 8 dorsal soft rays and 3 anal spines with 8 anal soft rays.

Distribution

M. liza occurs in coastal waters in the Caribbean Sea and along the eastern seaboard of America from Florida south to Argentina. It is found in marine and brackish environments and even ventures into freshwater sometimes.

Biology

M. liza is a detrivore and also feeds on filamentous algae. Spawning takes place offshore in the summer between May and August. The fecundity rate is high and several million eggs are produced. These are non-adhesive and are pelagic

Pelagic zone

Any water in a sea or lake that is not close to the bottom or near to the shore can be said to be in the pelagic zone. The word pelagic comes from the Greek πέλαγος or pélagos, which means "open sea". The pelagic zone can be thought of in terms of an imaginary cylinder or water column that goes...

. The males mature at a younger age than the females and are less numerous. Both male and female fish are about 55 centimetres long at maturity.