Upeneus stenopsis Uiblein & McGrouther, 2012
Narrow-tail goatfish
photo by Hoese, D.F.

Family:  Mullidae (Goatfishes)
Max. size:  13.1 cm SL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  demersal; marine; depth range 165 - 275 m
Distribution:  Pacific Ocean: North to North-East Australia; Quezon, Philippines. The first record of a deep-water Upeneus goatfish for the Pacific.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 8-8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9. This species is characterized by the following: Dorsal fins VIII + 9; pectoral fins 15-16; gill rakers 7-8+18-20 = 25-28; body depth at first dorsal-fin origin 22-25% SL; body depth at anus 18-21% SL; caudal-peduncle depth 7.4-7.8% SL; maximum head depth 22-23% SL; head depth through eye 18-19% SL; head length 33-34% SL; orbit length 9.2-9.9% SL; upper jaw length 14-15% SL; barbel length 21-22% SL; caudal-fin length 26-28% SL; anal-fin height 15-16% SL; pelvic-fin length 18-19% SL; pectoral-fin length 23-25% SL; first dorsal-fin height 20-23% SL; second dorsal-fin height 14-16% SL; total number of oblique caudal-fin bars 7-9, colour of bars changing from pale brown proximally to dark brown towards rear caudal-fin margin; dark bars on upper caudal-fin lobe 4-5 (including one bar close to rear end of lateral line), slightly increasing in width distally; lower caudal-fin lobe with 3-4 bars, of similar width as white interspaces between bars; first dorsal-fin tip black; caudal-fin bars and black dorsal-fin tip retained on preserved fish; barbels white; lateral body stripes absent; head and body silvery laterally and reddish dorsally, belly and ventral side of peduncle white; preserved fish dorsally or entirely pale brown or brown, with ventral part of body and head covered by white or silvery pigment (Ref. 92287).
Biology: 
IUCN Red List Status: Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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