Genus: Mulloidichthys, Goatfishes, Yellow Goatfish
mouth not reaching under eye
roof mouth - no teeth
roof mouth - no teeth
operculum: spine
pectoral 15-17
pectoral 15-17
LL 34-39
MULLOIDICHTHYS
GOATFISHES
Body elongate, cylindrical, underside of head and body nearly flat; snout blunt; eye high on side of head; mouth small, at lower edge of head, protrusible, top jaw not reaching to under front of eye; relatively small villiform or conical teeth; no teeth on roof of mouth; chin with a pair of large, long barbells that fold into a central groove on throat; opercle with a spine; 2 well-separated dorsal fins, VIII + I, 8; pectoral rays 15-17; a forked tail; scales large, slightly rough, 34-39 on lateral line; 6 rows of scales between the dorsal fins.
A pantropical genus with 6 species; one W Atlantic species in the Greater Caribbean.
