Yellowstripe Goatfish

Max length : 43.0 cm TL male/unsexed;; common length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed

Family	Mullidae
Description	Goatfishes
Environment	Brackish & Marine
Etymology	Latin, mullus = soft
Genus	6
No. of Species	87
Order	Perciformes
Class	Actinopterygii
Reproductive Guild	Nonguarders
Distribution	Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans, rarely in brackish waters. Elongated body. Dorsal fins far apart. First dorsal fin with 6-8 spines; second dorsal with one spine and 8-9 soft rays, shorter than anal fin. Spines in anal fin 1 or 2, with 5-8 soft rays. Forked caudal fin. Vertebrae 24. Chin with 2 long barbels, which contain chemosensory organs and are used to probe the sand or holes in the reef for benthic invertebrates or small fish. Many brightly colored. Pelagic spawners. Up to 60 cm maximum length. Valued as food fish. Not popular for aquaria, but do well in right settings. Mullus (Latin) = mullet. Habitat: sand-associated, shallow habitats

Yellowstripe Goatfish, White Weke

Occasionally schooling species inhabit shallow sandy areas of lagoon and seaward reefs. Large adults are often found solitary on sand slopes with other species following to feed on prey that are disturbed when the goatfish is feeding. Benthopelagic. Feed on crustaceans, mollusks, worms, heart urchins and foraminiferans.

Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 7. Back grey to olive, sides and belly whitish; 1-2 longitudinal yellow bands; dark blotch below 1st dorsal fin. Yellow-mid-lateral stripe from eye to tail and some yellow striping on cheek and along abdomen. Head length 3.1-3.5 in SL, length of snout 1.9.-2.2 and barbel 1.4-1.7 in HL. Body depth 3.7-4.8 in SL.

Summary of Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Persian Gulf; Red Sea and East Africa to the Hawaiian, Marquesan, and Ducie islands, north to the Ryukyu and Bonin Islands, south to Lord Howe and Rapa Islands. Common throughout most of its range
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)