| Family: |
Mullidae (Goatfishes) |
| Max. size: |
13.5 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 20 - 99 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Indian Ocean: Kenya to South Africa, Eritrea (Red Sea). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VIII,9; pectoral fins 15-16; gill rakers 6-8 + 19-21 = 26-28; lateral line scales 34-35; body depth at first dorsal-fin origin 26-30% SL and at anal-fin origin 22-26% SL; caudal-peduncle depth 9.9-11% SL; maximum head depth 22-25% SL; head depth through eye 17-19% SL; head length 28-31%SL; orbit length 7.1-9.4% SL; upper jaw length 12-14% SL; barbel length 15-20% SL; caudal-fin length 26-30% SL; anal-fin height 15-17% SL; pelvic-fin length 18-21% SL; pectoral-fin length 25-26% SL; first dorsal-fin height 22-26% SL; second dorsal-fin height 16-18% SL; 8-10 total bars on caudal fin, 4-6 brown bars on upper caudal-fin lobe, 3-4 of same color on lower lobe with the 3 proximal bars on upper lobe slightly curved with caudal-fin bars and white interspaces nearly equal width in width; in preserved specimens, all bars entirely retained. Fresh fish with 2 yellow or pale brown lateral body stripes, one close to lateral line, reaching from behind head to caudal-fin base, and another one below, starting behind pectoral-fin base; tip of first dorsal-fin dark, also in preserved fish; barbels white; head and body silvery white laterally and reddish-brown darker dorsally, belly white; in preserved fish, body pale brown, sometimes dorsally darkened (Ref. 82903). |
| Biology: |
|
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 13 August 2019 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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