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Argentine goatfish (Mullus argentinae) — Mullidae

Argentine goatfish

Mullus argentinae
Family: Mullidae
LC · Least Concern

The Argentine goatfish (Mullus argentinae) is a saltwater fish of the family Mullidae that grows up to 30 cm.

Length
30 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
20.0–60.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Range
Southwest Atlantic
Edibility
Commonly eaten

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Description

The Argentine goatfish is a goatfish from the southwest Atlantic, along Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. The species grows to about 30 cm and has a reddish to pink body and a pair of long chin barbels, characteristic of goatfishes. With these sensory barbels it searches sandy bottoms for small crustaceans, worms and molluscs. It is a valued food fish. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Argentine goatfish?

The Argentine goatfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly red-orange and shows a plain pattern. Long chin barbels for searching the sandy bottom

Where does the Argentine goatfish live?

The Argentine goatfish lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom. Southwest Atlantic

How big does the Argentine goatfish get?

The Argentine goatfish grows to a maximum of about 30 cm.

Is the Argentine goatfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Argentine goatfish is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Argentine goatfish edible?

Yes, the Argentine goatfish is commonly eaten.

More photos

Argentine goatfish (Mullus argentinae) — Mullidae — 2
© President and Fellows of Harvard College (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF — MCZ
Argentine goatfish (Mullus argentinae) — Mullidae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Dicastelli, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
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All data

Identification

English name
Argentine goatfish verified
Scientific name
Mullus argentinae
Family
Mullidae
Other names
Red mullet verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
20.0 verified
Max depth (m)
60.0 verified
Natural range
Southwest Atlantic verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small crustaceans, worms and molluscs inferred
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Sandy-bottom-foraging goatfish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Long chin barbels for searching the sandy bottom sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bottom fishing over sandy ground sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Mullus

More from the family Mullidae

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