Goldsaddle Goatfish
Parupeneus cyclostomus
- Least concern
- Card rarity: Common
- Fish
Parupeneus cyclostomus, commonly known as the yellow-saddle goatfish, blue goatfish or bright goatfish, is one of 66 currently known species of goatfish. The characteristic yellow patch, or saddle, located on the upper part of the fish's caudal peduncle, gives the yellow-saddle goatfish their common name. Different life stages of this fish may be found at varying depths, however, most yellow-saddle goatfish remain at around 20 metres (70 ft) of depth or in coastal regions with reefs. They can be found in isolation or small schools, and often rely on each other for hunting purposes. Native to the Indo-Pacific, this reef-dweller occurs primarily in tropical and temperate habitats. It is a commercially important species and has recently been considered an environmental indicator to gauge the impact of habitat modification, coastal degradation, pollution, and commercial fisheries.
Classification
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Syngnathiformes
- Family
- Mullidae
- Genus
- Parupeneus