Date: Sunday f 5, 2012
Short Grey Mullet Sea Fish
This supposed species is named and described by Mr. Yarrell from a single example obtained by himself while fishing at Poole, in Dorsetshire. The specimen scarcely exceeded two inches in length, and its principal distinction consisted in the extreme shortness of the body, which led to the adoption of the specific name.
The number of the fin rays was of the first dorsal four, of the second one firm ray and eight others, pectoral eleven, ventral one firm and five others, of the anal three firm and eight others, of the tail fourteen rays. The length of the head as compared with that of the body and tail, is as one to three, the proportion in the Common Grey Mullet being as one to four, the body is also deeper in proportion than in M. capito, being equal to the length of the head, the head is wider, the form of it more triangular, and also more pointed anteriorly, the eye larger in proportion, the fin rays longer, particularly those of the tail , the ventral fins placed nearer the pectorals, and a differcnce exists in the number of some of the fin rays. The colour of the two species are nearly alike, and in other respects, except those named, they do not differ materially.
Since the publication of the first notice of this species, the eleventh volume of the 'Histoire Naturelle des Poissons' con- tains a reference to this fish, of which an example was sent to Paris, and which M. Valenciennes considered to be identical with Mr. Yarrell's fish. It is to be regretted, however, that the specimen thus referred to by Mr. Yarrell is not to be found in the collection of that gentleman, the other portions of which generally were transferred to the collection of the British Museum.
A fish must be exceedingly rare of which only two examples have been seen, but in the case of the Mullets the rarity becomes suspicious from the fact that it is the habit of all the species to keep near the shores. On the other hand a curtailment of proportions is far from being unusual in fishes, and when this takes place it commonly interferes with either the number or arrangement of other parts. On these accounts the Short Grey Mullet must remain for the present a doubtful species.
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