PORT PHILLIP BAY


Bluespotted Goatfish 

Upeneichthys vlamingii (Cuvier, 1829)

View scientific description and taxonomy

Scientific Details

Meristics.
Dorsal fin spines/rays: VIII; I, 8
Anal fin spines/rays: II, 6
Caudal fin rays: 17
Pectoral fin rays: 15
Ventral fin spines/rays: I, 5
Lateral line: 27
Gill rakers: 23-24

Interpreting fin count meristics.
Spines are in Roman numerals and soft rays are in Arabic numerals. Spines and rays that are continuous in one fin are separated by a comma. Fin sections are separated by semicolons.

Detailed descriptions of fin count and other meristics are in:
Gomon. M.F., Bray, D.J. & Kuiter, R.H. (eds) (2008) Fishes of Australia's Southern Coast. Sydney : Reed New Holland 928 pp.

Taxonomy

Phylum:
Chordata
Subphylum:
Craniata
Superclass:
Gnathostomata
Class:
Actinopterygii
Order:
Perciformes
Family:
Mullidae
Genus:
Upeneichthys
Species:
vlamingii

Other Names

  • Red Mullet

General Description

Body moderately long, compressed; dorsal profile rounded, steep in front of dorsal fin; snout long, mouth with fleshy lips, chin with a pair of sensory barbels. Colour highly variable, darker above than below, ranging from overall greyish-cream, pale greenish, pinkish to orange-red, some with a reddish to blackish stripe running from snout, through eye to tail base, other individuals with blue lines and spots. Can rapidly change colour. To 35 cm.

Biology

These fishes use their sensory chin barbels to "taste" the bottom in search of food. Juveniles often school in sheltered bays.

Habitat

In bays, estuaries, and in sheltered coastal waters, on sandy bottoms often near rocky and weedy areas, in depths of 2-100 m.

Soft substrates

Reefs

Distribution guide

Southern Australia.

Species Group

Fishes › Goatfishes

Depth

Shallow (1-30 m)
Deep ( > 30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

35 cm

Diet

Carnivore

Commercial Species

Yes

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Conservation Status

  • DSE Advisory List : Not listed
  • EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
  • IUCN Red List : Not listed

Author

article author Bray, D.J.

Di Bray is a Senior Collection Manager of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

Author

article author Gomon, M.F.

Dr. Martin Gomon is a Senior Curator of ichthyology at Museum Victoria.

citation

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. & Gomon, M.F., 2011, Bluespotted Goatfish, Upeneichthys vlamingii, in Taxonomic Toolkit for marine life of Port Phillip Bay, Museum Victoria, accessed 27 Dec 2024, http://136.154.202.208:8098/species/8020

Text: creative commons cc by licence