Cochin goatfish
📖 Overview
Cochin goatfish (Upeneus indicus), first described by Uiblein & Heemstra, 2010 is a small fish in the family Mullidae (order Mulliformes). Adults typically reach 14.00 cm in maximum length. It inhabits marine coastal and open-ocean environments. It occurs in Tropical waters. It feeds on a mix of small fish and invertebrates as a mid-level predator. On the IUCN Red List, it is classified as Data Deficient.
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VIII,9; pectoral fins 15-16; gill rakers 9 + 20-22 = 29-31; lateral line scales 36; body depth at first dorsal-fin origin 29-31% SL and at anal-fin origin 26-27% SL; caudal-peduncle depth 11% SL; maximum head depth 25% SL; head depth through eye 18-19% SL; head length 30-31%SL; orbit length 7.0-7.1% SL; upper jaw length 12% SL; barbel length 19-20% SL; caudal-fin length 27-28% SL; anal-fin height 13-14% SL; pelvic-fin length 19% SL; pectoral-fin length 23-24% SL; first dorsal-fin height 23-24% SL; second dorsal-fin height 15-26% SL; 8-10 total bars on caudal fin, 4-6 pale brown bars on upper caudal-fin lobe, 4 of same color on lower lobe with the 3 proximal bars on upper lobe slightly curved with caudal-fin bars wider than pale interspaces between bars; in preserved specimens, bars faintly retained. Fresh fish with 3 pale brown lateral body stripes, one mid-lateral stripe reaching from behind head to caudal-fin base, and another one below, starting behind from behind pectoral-fin base and a third short stripe just above lateral line below dorsal fins; length of dark first dorsal-fin tip clearly smaller than orbit; head and body silvery rose laterally, dorsally dark reddish, and belly silvery, white in fresh fish; body uniformly brown in preserved .: fusiform / normal.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Cochin goatfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated. Tropical known only from western India.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🔍 Similar Species
👥 Community & Contribute
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