Description:

Dorsal spines: 8; Dorsal rays: 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal rays: 7.

Body elongate, more full bodied than M. flavolineatus, depth 3.3 to 3.9 times in Standard Length.
Slender barbels reach beyond posterior margin of preopercle. Mouth small, the maxilla not reaching front edge of eye. Villiform teeth in a band in jaws.

Colour. Yellow to yellowish-orange dorsally, with pinkish tint. Flanks and ventral surface white. A yellow stripe from the eye to the tail base. (No dark blotch on stripe). 
A short yellow bar on the cheek. Barbels white to yellowish. All fins yellow.
 

Maturity: Lm 24 cm TL. Range 21- ? cm. Max Length: 28 cm TL. Commonly to 25 cm TL.
 

Inhabits sandy bottoms, and occasionally seagrass beds, of reef flats, lagoons, coastal and seaward reefs (depth 1-113 m). Generally in deeper waters than 
Mulloidichthys flavolineatus. Benthopelagic. Often forms large schools over coral reefs during the day, dispersing at night to feed over sand flats. 
Sometimes it mixes with Lutjanus kasmira and shows blue stripes. Feeds on small worms and crustaceans, ophiurids, small molluscs, heart urchins, and foraminifera.

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the fish trap fishery, but is an uncommon component of the catch.

In water photo courtesy Eleanor Brighton and Chris Mason-Parker (c) 2022 Blue Safari Seychelles/Marine Conservation Society, Seychelles. Photograph taken at Alphonse group 2022.
 

Bray, D.J. (2020). Mulloidichthys vanicolensis in Fishes of Australia, http://136.154.202.208/home/species/584 (21/04/20).
Fischer, W. & G. Bianchi (eds), (1984).  FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Indian Ocean; (Fishing Area 51). Prepared and printed with the 
support of the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). Rome, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, vols 1-6.
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2020). FishBase. Mulloidichthys vanicolensis. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Mulloidichthys-vanicolensis (21/04/20).
Smith-Vaniz, W.F. & Williams, I. (2016). Mulloidichthys vanicolensis (errata version 2017). The IUCN Red 2016: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69181884A69183259.en. (21/04/20).

Nevill, J.E.G. (2020). Mulloidichthys vanicolensis, Yellowfin goatfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/mulloidichthys-vanicolensis-valenciennes-1831/ (revised 15/07/22).