Why Do Mullet Leap? - The Australian Museum

Skip to main content Skip to acknowledgement of country Skip to footer

On this page... Toggle Table of Contents Nav

• Why do mullet leap?

Mullet are commonly seen leaping out of the water. Why do they do this?

Over the years there have been numerous theories concerning the leaping of mullet. There seems to be two categories of leaping: predator avoidance and aerial respiration.

Leaping to avoid predators usually involves more than one fish jumping simultaneously, retaining an upright posture and entering the water cleanly.

The second type of leaping involves a single fish that does a slower, shorter leap, often flipping onto its side or even onto its back. They may also roll at the surface or move with their head above the water.

The research of Hoese (1985) suggests that Sea Mullet use this second category of movements to fill the pharyngobranchial organ (an area at the back of the throat) with air.

The trapped air is believed to allow the fish to remain active in water of low oxygen concentration for about five minutes.

Several interesting lines of evidence support this theory. The number of jumps is correlated with the concentration of oxygen in the water. The less oxygen, the more jumps.

Secondly, Sea Mullet feed during the day often in bottom sediments that have low oxygen concentrations. Jumping occurs much more commonly during the day. Sea Mullet rarely jump at night.

Further reading

1. Hoese, H.D. 1985. Jumping mullet - the internal diving bell hypotheses. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 13(4): 309-314.

Back to top of main content Go back to top of page

Also in this section

• White Belly Damsel, Amblyglyphidodon leucogaster (Bleeker, 1847)
• Paralichthyidae - Sand Flounders
• Goblin Shark
• Silver Dory, Cyttus australis (Richardson, 1843)
• Golden Perch, Macquaria ambigua (Richardson, 1845)
• Speckled Damsel, Pomacentrus bankanensis Bleeker, 1853
• Larval pelican flounder, Chascanopsetta sp.
• Threadfin Emperor, Lethrinus genivittatus Valenciennes, 1830
• Yellowfin Pigfish, Bodianus flavipinnis (Gomon, 2001)
• Rhino Pipefish, Histiogamphelus cristatus (Macleay, 1882)
• Common Shore Eels, Alabes dorsalis
• Porbeagle, Lamna nasus (Bonnaterre, 1788)

You may also be interested in...

Frequently asked questions about fishes

Australian Museum staff are frequently asked questions about fishes. The FAQ list gives the answers to some of those questions.

Discover more

Mugilidae - Mullets

Use the table to access images and fact sheets of the mugilid fishes on the site.

Read more

Why sharks? Why now?

By learning a little about sharks, we’re better equipped to take care of Earth’s biodiversity.

30 January 2023 Read more

Bluespotted Goatfish, Upeneichthys vlamingii (Cuvier, 1829)

Bluespotted Goatfish, Upeneichthys vlamingii (Cuvier, 1829)

Discover more

Yelloweye Mullet, Aldrichetta forsteri (Valenciennes, 1836)

Yelloweye Mullet, Aldrichetta forsteri (Valenciennes, 1836)

Discover more

Fish, maugro

The Aboriginal people of coastal Sydney had their own names for the different species of fish, some of which were recorded by First Fleet officers. The general name for fish was maugro.

Discover more

Goldspot Mullet, Liza argentea (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)

Goldspot Mullet, Liza argentea (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)

Discover more

Swifter, Higher, Stronger: What makes Australia’s Olympic team names so extraordinary

We ask our scientists from the Australian Museum Research Institute to give us an insight into why Australia's Olympic team names represent the best of the best.

2 August 2021 Find out more

Sea Mullet, Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, 1758

Sea Mullet, Mugil cephalus Linnaeus, 1758

Discover more

Diamond-scale Mullet, Liza vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)

Diamond-scale Mullet, Liza vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard, 1825)

Discover more

Pinkeye Mullet, Trachystoma petardi (Castelnau, 1875)

Pinkeye Mullet, Trachystoma petardi (Castelnau, 1875)

Discover more

Why do Magpies swoop?

Swooping on intruders, including humans, does tend to trigger some debate over whether magpies are actually aggressive or defensive.

Learn more You have reached the end of the main content. Go back to start of main content Go back to top of page Back to top You have reached the end of the page. Thank you for reading. Website Navigation Dialog Modal

• What's On
• AM Shop
• Join & Give

• Visit & Book
  • Plan your Visit
    • What's On Calendar
    • Location & Transport
    • Admission information
    • Food & Dining
    • Access & Inclusion
  • AM Membership
    • Become a Member
    • Members-only events
    • Member login
    • Explore magazine
    • Gift Membership
  • Group Bookings
  • Visitor Guides & Map
  • Museum Shop
• Learn & Connect
  • News & Stories
    • Latest news
    • Read our articles
    • Listen to podcasts
    • Exhibition publications
    • Media Centre
  • Education
    • Education programs
    • School excursions
    • First Nations learning resources
    • Science learning resources
    • History learning resources
  • Culture
    • First Nations cultures and history
    • First Nations Collections
    • Pasifika cultures and history
    • Pasifika Collections
    • World Cultures
    • Cultural Collection Enhancement Project
  • Science
    • Australian Museum Research Institute (AMRI®) Submenu
      • Lizard Island Research Station
      • Australian Centre for Wildlife Genomics
      • AMRI Seminars and Lectures
      • Collection Care and Conservation
      • Citizen science projects
      • Expeditions and fieldwork
    • Life & Geoscience Collections Submenu
      • Archaeology
      • Arachnology
      • Entomology
      • Herpetology
      • Ichthyology
      • Malacology
      • Mammalogy
      • Marine Invertebrates
      • Mineralogy
      • Ornithology
      • Palaeontology
      • Frozen Tissue
      • AMRI Collection Enhancement Project
    • Learning resources Submenu
      • Australia over time
      • Earth Science
      • Dinosaurs and their relatives
      • Human evolution
      • Biodiversity
      • Education resources
    • Search our Science Journal
    • Australian Museum Eureka Prizes
    • Animal factsheets Submenu
      • Spiders
      • Native frogs
      • Reptiles
      • Worms
      • Molluscs
      • Sea squirts and sea tulips
      • Jellyfish, anemones and corals
      • Mammals
      • Australian Bats
      • Fishes
      • Birds
      • Insects
      • Plankton
      • Sea stars and sea urchins
      • Centipedes and millipedes
      • Crustaceans
      • Dangerous Australian animals
      • Australia’s extinct animals
  • Climate Change
    • Learn about climate change
    • Impacts of climate change
    • Climate change solutions
    • Stories of our changing environment
    • Climate Solutions Centre
• About Us
  • About the Australian Museum
    • Organisation & Governance
    • Australian Museum Collections
    • Archives & Research Library
    • History of the AM
    • Visitor information
  • Support the AM
    • Australian Museum Foundation
    • Donate to the Museum
    • Partnerships
    • Become a Member
  • Venue or Exhibition Hire
    • Venues & Functions
    • Touring Exhibitions
  • Join our Team
    • Staff profiles
    • Work at the Museum
    • Awards & Fellowships
    • Student opportunities
    • Volunteer at the Australian Museum
  • Contact
    • Contact List
    • Ask an Expert
    • Ask an Elder
    • Subscribe to our eNewsletter
    • Search our Website

Close navigation modal Website Search Dialog Modal Search website Submit Search Close search modal

The Australian Museum respects and acknowledges the Gadigal people as the First Peoples and Traditional Custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum stands.

Image credit: gadigal yilimung (shield) made by Uncle Charles Chicka Madden

Close modal dialog Close Modal Dialog Close Modal Dialog Close Modal Dialog