Shortfin goatfish
📖 Overview
Shortfin goatfish (Upeneus oligospilus) is a ray-finned fish of the family Mullidae. It inhabits marine (saltwater) waters in reef-associated environments. This species can reach a maximum total length of 17 cm. It occurs at depths between 0 and 13 metres. With a trophic level of 3.5, it is a low-level carnivore, feeding on invertebrates and small organisms. It is assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
🔬 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 13-14; gill rakers 4-7 + 15-18 = 20-24; lateral line scales 29-31; body depth at first dorsal fin origin 22-26% SL and at anus 19-22% SL; caudal-peduncle depth 9.6-11% SL, width 2.2-4.1% SL; maximum head depth 19-23% SL; head depth through eye 15-19% SL; head length 29-33%SL; postorbital length 12-13% SL; orbit length 5.5-8.1% SL; upper jaw length 11-14% SL; barbel length 16-22% SL; caudal-peduncle length 20-25% SL; caudal-fin length 24-28% SL; anal-fin height 15-17% SL; pelvic-fin length 18-22% SL; pectoral-fin length 18-22% SL, width 3.6-5.4% SL; first dorsal-fin height 18-22% SL; second dorsal-fin height 16-18% SL; postorbital length 1.2-1.4 times in anal-fin height; all fins possess dark brown or black stripes, bars or blotches; 6-10 oblique bars on caudal fin in adults (6 or less in juveniles > 7 cm SL), 3-5 brown, dark brown or black bars on upper caudal-fin lobe, 3-4 brown, dark brown or black bars on lower lobe; a dark-brown or black mid-lateral body stripe from tip of snout to caudal-fin base; body and head ground colour white or beige, slightly darker above lateral line, with irregular dark brown or black spots, dots and blotches; barbels are yellow or pale brown; most of body and fin pigmentation retained on preserved fish .: fusiform / normal.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Shortfin goatfish is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 13 m . Tropical Indian Ocean: Persian Gulf.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🔍 Similar Species
👥 Community & Contribute
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Shortfin goatfish ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.