Striped goatfish

📖 Overview

Euryhaline . Inhabits sandy lagoons and sheltered coastal waters. Also found over muddy bottoms . Benthopelagic . Often in groups . In the north-east coast of India, the male to female ratio was 1:1.5 in most months . Feeds primarily on small crustaceans. Marketed fresh .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 7. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VIII,9; pectoral fins 15-16; gill rakers 7-8 + 19-21 = 27-29; lateral line scales 36-38; body depth at first dorsal fin origin 25-29% SL and at anal-fin origin 21-24% SL; caudal-peduncle depth 9.9-12% SL; maximum head depth 21-26% SL; head depth through eye 18-20% SL; head length 30-31%SL; orbit length 7.0-8.7% SL; upper jaw length 11-13% SL; barbel length 17-21% SL; caudal-fin length 26-30% SL; anal-fin height 15-16% SL; pelvic-fin length 18-21% SL; pectoral-fin length 22-24% SL; first dorsal-fin height 22-25% SL; second dorsal-fin height 14-16% SL; 7-9 total bars on caudal fin, 4-5 brown or dark brown bars on upper caudal-fin lobe, 3 (rarely 4) bars on lower lobe, increasing distally in width with the widest distal-most bar black or dark brown, while the other bars are pale brown or brown; width of largest lower caudal-fin lobe bar and/or pale interspace between distal-most bars equal to or larger than orbit; tip of lower fin lobe pale (bars on both caudal-fin lobes retained on preserved fish); tip of first dorsal-fin dark, the vertical length of the pigmented area similar in size to width of widest lower caudal-fin lobe bar; 2 yellow or pale brown mid-lateral body stripes, one from eye to caudal-fin base, where it joins the proximal upper caudal-fin lobe bar, and the other stripe below from pectoral-fin base to caudal peduncle and continued by proximal-most lower caudal fin lobe bar; 2 dorsolateral brown or pale brown stripes, with the lower one distinct and well-separated from pale body surface, extending from operculum to behind second dorsal fin, the upper one indistinct or hidden and much shorter, beginning below first dorsal-fin origin and bordered dorsally by a horizontal series of pale spots (lateral body stripes not retained on preserved fish); barbels white; white to silvery body. Dark reddish-brown dorsally, white belly, faint yellowish patches along pelvic and anal-fin bases (body pale brown in preserved fish, slightly darker above lateral line) .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Striped goatfish is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 5 - 100 m . Tropical; 26°C - 29°C; 32°N - 33°S, 28°E - 137°W south to East London, South Africa and east to Micronesia and the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Society islands, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🍽️ Edibility & Flavour

"Striped goatfish is an edible species."

⚡ Nutrition

Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central

Nutrient	Amount
Protein	18.3 g
Omega-3 (total)	192 mg

🔬 Mercury Safety

Mercury data for Striped goatfish has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.

🌿 Sustainability

🔬 Full Nutritional Profile

Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)

📊 Population Dynamics

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name	Author	Year	Status
Mullus vittatus	Forsskål	1775	Synonym

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 31 records indexed .

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