Mullet is a common name for several species of coastal fishes; the term is also used to describe a distinctive haircut. In the aquatic sense, mullets are medium-sized, schooling fishes found in many warm and temperate seas and estuaries; more information on fishes in general can be found at fish.
Fish behaviour
Observations frequently note mullets leaping clear of the water. The exact reasons for this behaviour remain uncertain and are the subject of several hypotheses rather than settled fact. Proposed explanations include:
- escaping or evading predators;
- removing external parasites or dislodging debris;
- surface orientation or navigation when moving between feeding areas;
- communications or social signalling within the school.
Different species and contexts may favour different explanations, and scientists continue to study when and why jumping occurs.
Hairstyle and cultural history
The word "mullet" is also widely used for a haircut characterised by shorter hair at the front and crown and longer hair at the back. This style has appeared in many cultures and eras in various forms.
The modern slang term for the haircut is commonly credited to Mike D of the Beastie Boys in the mid-1990s. In the years after 2000 the label and its cultural associations spread more widely through online communities based in places such as San Francisco, helped by discussion and sharing on the early Internet. Since then the mullet has cycled in and out of fashion, appearing at times both as a subject of parody and as a deliberate retro or subcultural statement.