Goldsaddle goatfish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Goldsaddle goatfish |
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| Conservation status | |
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Not evaluated (IUCN 3.1)
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| Scientific classification | |
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| Phylum: | |
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| Family: |
Mullidae
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| Genus: |
Parupeneus
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| Species: |
P. cyclostomus
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| Binomial name | |
| Parupeneus cyclostomus (Lacépède, 1801)
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| Synonyms | |
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See text |
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The goldsaddle goatfish (Parupeneus cyclostomus), also called the yellowsaddle goatfish, is a type of goatfish. It lives in the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific region. This fish is important for fishing, both for food and for sport. Sometimes, it can carry a natural poison called ciguatera, which can make people sick if they eat the fish. You can also find this fish in some aquariums.
What Does It Look Like?
This fish is usually bright yellow. It often has a bluish shine on its back. Some goldsaddle goatfish are completely golden yellow. They can grow up to 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) long. However, most of them are about 35 centimeters (about 14 inches) long.
Where Does It Live?
The goldsaddle goatfish lives by itself or in small groups. You can find it in many parts of coral reefs. It also lives on sandy or rocky bottoms, from 1 to 95 meters (about 3 to 312 feet) deep. This fish uses special whiskers called barbels to search for food. It pokes its barbels into holes and cracks to find small creatures hiding there.
You can find this fish across the Indo-Pacific Ocean. This includes places like the Red Sea, South Africa, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Ryūkyū Islands.
Images for kids
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Yellow variant, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea
