Blue-striped mullet
(Upeneichthys lineatus)
General data
Upeneichthys lineatus, also known as the blue-striped mullet, blue-lined goatfish. blue-striped goatfish, blue-spotted goatfish and blue striped red mullet, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a goatfish from the family Mullidae. It is native to the Pacific coast of Australia. It occurs in sheltered areas over rocky and sandy substrates and can be found 5 to 100 metres (16 to 328 ft), though rarer below 40 metres (130 ft). This species can reach a length of 40 centimetres (16 in) FL. This species is commercially important.
Description
Upeneichthys lineatus has a small, fleshy lipped mouth with each jaw armed with a single row of conical teeth. Like the other members of the family Mullidae it has two fleshy barbels on its chin. They are highly variable in colour, which ranges from pale cream to deep red, normally with blue and gold lines on the face and thin yellow lines and blue dots along the flanks and tail. They have a distinct midlateral stripe, and yellow stripes on the dorsal and anal fins. They may attain a length of 31 centimetres (12 in) They have 9 spines and 8 rays in their dorsal fins and a single spine and 6 rays in their anal fins.
Distribution
Upeneichthys lineatus is endemic to the temperate seas off eastern and southeastern Australia with the northerly limit of their range being around Fraser Island, Queensland south to Tasmania and west as far as Lakes Entrance, Victoria.
