WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Island Goatfish

Parupeneus insularis

Also known as: Doublebar Goatfish, Joe Louis, Two-barred Goatfish, Twosaddle Goatfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2016
Adult
@fishx6 · Hawaiian Islands, United States · June 20161 / 9
01

Overview

Found singly, pairs, or in small schools, sometimes mixed with other fish, foraging for food, over rocky bottoms, sand, and seagrass beds, of silty coral 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

Pattern
bars

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Eastern Central Pacific
  • Dive site · 2
  • Country only · 7
LIVES IN

Found singly, pairs, or in small schools, sometimes mixed with other fish, foraging for food, over rocky bottoms, sand, and seagrass beds, of silty coral reefs.

04

Adult photos 9

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 insularis Randall & Myers, 2002

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Goatfishes (Mullidae)