Upeneus vanuatu Uiblein & Causse, 2013
Vanuatu goatfish
Upeneus vanuatu
photo by Uiblein & Causse, 2013

Family:  Mullidae (Goatfishes)
Max. size:  10 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 191 - 321 m
Distribution:  Pacific Ocean: Vanuatu. Only known from off Espiritu Santo and Malo Islands, Vanuatu, South Pacific; depth range 191–321 m.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal fins VIII + 9; pectoral fins 14-16; gill rakers 7–8 + 19-20 = 27-28; measurements in % SL: body depth at first dorsal-fin origin 21-25; body depth at anus 17-19; caudal-peduncle depth 7.9-8.4; maximum head depth 18-23; head depth through eye 14-18; interorbital length 7.0-7.6; head length 29-32; orbit length 7.4-10; upper jaw length 11-13; barbel length 16-22; interdorsal distance 13-15; caudal-fin length 27-28; anal-fin height 14-17; pelvic-fin length 17-19; pectoral-fin length 21–24; first dorsal-fin height 19-20; second dorsal-fin height 15-17; total number of oblique caudal-fin bars 7, with 4 dark bars on upper caudal-fin lobe (including one bar close to rear end of lateral line) and 3 dark bars on lower caudal-fin lobe; bars differ in colour intensity and width; barbels white; no lateral body stripes; head and body pale rose, dorsally reddish and belly whitish; preserved fish pale brown, caudal-fin bars and black dorsal-fin tips retained (Ref. 93585).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Data deficient (DD); Date assessed: 11 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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