Family: MULLIDAE, Goatfish, Goatfishes

FAMILY MULLIDAE

GOATFISHES

In goatfishes, which are small to medium sized fishes (up to 40 cm), the body is moderately elongate, slightly compressed; underside of head and body nearly flat; eye high on side of head; mouth small, at lower edge of head, protrusible; relatively small villiform or conical teeth; chin with a pair of large, long barbells that fold into a central groove on throat; 2 well-separated dorsal fins, VII-VIII + I, 8; a forked tail; scales large, slightly rough.

Goatfishes occur in all warm temperate and tropical seas, usually in the vicinity of reefs. Worldwide there are six genera with about100 species; most inhabit the Indo-West Pacific. Four W Atlantic species from four genera in the Greater Caribbean.

PREPARED BY D ROSS ROBERTSON, AFTER RANDALL (2002)