They are Perciforms with an elongated body, slightly compressed, with a clearly convex back profile, especially at the forehead, and an almost rectilinear ventral profile. They are covered with large, smooth scales. The mouth, small and subterminal, is slightly protractile; the chin has two long barbs that can be lodged in a gutter. The mullet is usually brightly colored, the dominant hue being red, hence their name. They are benthic fish from tropical and temperate seas. They are fond of soft, muddy and sandy bottoms. Their barbs are sensory and gustatory organs, which serve in the search for prey: worms, crustaceans and molluscs. The red mullet has a pretty pink-red livery striped with thin longitudinal stripes. The species is common along the coasts of tropical Africa, from Morocco to Angola. It is present on the Mauritanian and Senegalese mud bottoms, between 25 and 75 meters deep. Production is almost entirely reserved for export to European markets. They are solitary or in small groups, their flesh is excellent.