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Blue-lined Goatfish
Upeneichthys lineatus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
A Blue-lined Goatfish and cleaner shrimp photographed during a night dive at a depth of 24m, Halifax Park, New South Wales. View larger image.
Above and below: A Blue-lined Goatfish at a depth of 16m, Inner Rock, Broughton Island, off Port Stephens, New South Wales, June 2001. View larger image.
The Blue-lined Goatfish has a small mouth with fleshy lips. There is a single row of conical teeth in both jaws. It has two fleshy barbels (glossary) protruding from the chin (as do all the goatfishes, family Mullidae). These are used for digging in soft substrates and sensing prey.
The colouration of the Blue-lined Goatfish is highly variable from pale, almost white, to deep red with various spots and markings on the head and sides.
The Blue-lined Goatfish grows to 31cm in length.
Divers see this species in small schools at depths from 5m to 40m. It is occasionally trawled in water down to 100m.
The Blue-lined Goatfish is endemic to (only known from) Australia. It occurs mostly in sheltered bays and harbours from southern Queensland to eastern Victoria.
This species looks similar to the Blue-spotted Goatfish (view fact sheet). In Australia the Blue-spotted Goatfish is recorded from southern Victoria to southern Western Australia, including Tasmania. The Blue-spotted Goatfish has a slightly longer head and less distinct stripe along the side of the body.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
