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Bandedtail goatfish (Upeneus vittatus) — Mullidae

Bandedtail goatfish

Upeneus vittatus
Family: Mullidae
LC · Least Concern

The Bandedtail goatfish (Upeneus vittatus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Mullidae that grows up to 28 cm.

Length
28 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
5–100 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-West Pacific; sandy lagoons and sheltered coastal waters.
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The yellowstriped goatfish is a goatfish of the family Mullidae from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 28 cm and has a pale body with a few yellow longitudinal stripes and dark bars on the upper tail lobe. Characteristic is a pair of long barbels under the chin, with which it probes the soft bottom for prey. As a euryhaline species it inhabits sandy lagoons, sheltered coastal waters and muddy bottoms and tolerates varying salinities. As a bottom searcher it feeds on small invertebrates. The yellowstriped goatfish is a valued food fish and harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Bandedtail goatfish?

The Bandedtail goatfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a horizontal stripes pattern. Yellow longitudinal stripes and dark bars on the upper caudal lobe; long chin barbels.

Where does the Bandedtail goatfish live?

The Bandedtail goatfish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Indo-West Pacific; sandy lagoons and sheltered coastal waters.

How big does the Bandedtail goatfish get?

The Bandedtail goatfish grows to a maximum of about 28 cm. On average the species is around 20 cm.

Is the Bandedtail goatfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Bandedtail goatfish is harmless to humans. None required: this species is harmless to humans.

Is the Bandedtail goatfish edible?

Yes, the Bandedtail goatfish is commonly eaten.

More photos

Bandedtail goatfish (Upeneus vittatus) — Mullidae — 2
Williams, Jeffrey T. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Bandedtail goatfish (Upeneus vittatus) — Mullidae — 3
Williams, Jeffrey T. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Bandedtail goatfish (Upeneus vittatus) — Mullidae — 4
Wikimedia Commons — Sir Francis Day (Public domain)
Bandedtail goatfish (Upeneus vittatus) — Mullidae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Vivek.N.Rathod, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA))

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All data

Identification

English name
Bandedtail goatfish verified
Scientific name
Upeneus vittatus
Family
Mullidae
Other names
Bar-tailed goat-fish; Goat fish; Goatfish; Striped goatfish; Yellowbanded goatfish; Yellowstriped goatfish; Yellow-banded goatfish; Yellow striped goat fish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
28 verified
Average length (cm)
20 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold
Pattern
Horizontal stripes
Tail shape
Forked
Mouth position
Inferior (downward)
Lips
Thick / fleshy
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
5 verified
Max depth (m)
100 verified
Natural range
Indo-West Pacific; sandy lagoons and sheltered coastal waters.
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small bottom-dwelling invertebrates sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups
Territorial
No
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known.
Special features
Yellow longitudinal stripes and dark bars on the upper caudal lobe; long chin barbels. sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures.
Regulations source

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
None required: this species is harmless to humans. sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Upeneus

More from the family Mullidae

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