WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Red Sea Goatfish

Parupeneus forsskali

Also known as: Dash-and-Dot Goatfish, Forsskali Goatfish, Forsskal's Goatfish, Goldstriped Goatfish

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2020
Adult
@JarJar · Gorgonia Beach, Egypt · September 20141 / 4
01

Overview

Found in small schools, foraging for food, over sandy bottoms of 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

Behaviour
schooling

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Indian Ocean, Mediterranean
  • Country only · 4
LIVES IN

Found in small schools, foraging for food, over sandy bottoms of coral reefs.

04

Adult photos 4

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 forsskali (Fourmanoir & Guézé, 1976)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Goatfishes (Mullidae)