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Beach goatfish (Upeneus sulphureus) — Mullidae

Beach goatfish

Upeneus sulphureus
Family: Mullidae
LC · Least Concern

The Beach goatfish (Upeneus sulphureus) is a brackish-water fish of the family Mullidae that grows up to 23 cm.

Length
23 cm
Water
Brackish
Depth
10.0–90.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The sulphur goatfish is a goatfish of the family Mullidae from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 23 cm and has a slender, silvery body with a yellow tinge and two yellowish longitudinal stripes. Characteristic is a pair of long barbels under the chin, with which it probes the soft bottom for prey. It inhabits coastal waters and enters estuaries, over sandy and muddy bottoms, and forms schools. As a bottom searcher it feeds on small invertebrates. The sulphur goatfish is a valued food fish and is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Beach goatfish?

The Beach goatfish has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Beach goatfish live?

The Beach goatfish lives in brackish water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Beach goatfish get?

The Beach goatfish grows to a maximum of about 23 cm. On average the species is around 20 cm.

Is the Beach goatfish dangerous to humans?

No, the Beach goatfish is harmless to humans.

Is the Beach goatfish edible?

Yes, the Beach goatfish is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Zwavelkleurige zeebarbeel sourced
English name
Beach goatfish verified
Scientific name
Upeneus sulphureus
Family
Mullidae
Other names
Goat fish; Goatfish; Sulphur goat fish; Sulphur goatfish verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
23.0 verified
Average length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Horizontal stripes inferred
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Inferior (downward) inferred
Lips
Thin inferred
Barbels
Yes sourced
Dorsal fins
Two separate inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Brackish sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Min depth (m)
10.0 verified
Max depth (m)
90.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

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

Same genus Upeneus

More from the family Mullidae

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