WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Surmullet

Mullus surmuletus

Also known as: Red Goatfish, Red Mullet, Red-striped Mullet, Striped Mullet, Striped Red Mullet, Woodcock-of-the-Sea

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2015
Adult
@SailingBenH · Crete, Greece · July 20141 / 3
01

Overview

Found over broken rough ground and soft sand bottoms, from shallow to very deep waters of the sea.

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

Fins & Tail
yellow tail

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean, Black Sea
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 2
LIVES IN

Found over broken rough ground and soft sand bottoms, from shallow to very deep waters of the sea.

04

Adult photos 3

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. genusMullus
    7. speciesMullus surmuletus Linnaeus, 1758

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Goatfishes (Mullidae)