WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Goldsaddle Goatfish

Parupeneus cyclostomus

Also known as: Blue Goatfish, Bright Goatfish, Bright-saddled Goatfish, Gold-saddled Goatfish, Golden-spotted Goatfish, Red Mullet, Yellow Goatfish, Yellowsaddle Goatfish, Yellow-saddled Goatfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2016
Adult
@fishx6 · Mirihi Island Resort, Maldives · February 20071 / 15
01

Overview

Found singly or in small schools, foraging for food over rock and rubble bottoms, of reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs.

Goatfish have two barbels extending form the chin, these are used to probe the sand for food such as worms, brittle stars, crustaceans and small fish.
They often have other fish in tow which hoover up any creatures left behind.
Some Goatfish can rapidly change colour and spots that were there magically disappear!

02

How to identify

Head & Mouth
barbels

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Exact location · 3
  • Dive site · 1
  • Country only · 11
LIVES IN

Found singly or in small schools, foraging for food over rock and rubble bottoms, of reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs.

04

Adult photos 15

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderMulliformes
    5. familyMullidae
    6. genusParupeneus
    7. speciesParupeneus cyclostomus (Lacepède, 1801)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Goatfishes (Mullidae)