Description:

Dorsal spines: 8; Dorsal rays: 9.

Body elongate. Slender barbels which reach approximately to rear margin of preopercle. Maxilla reaches to below anterior portion of eye. Villiform teeth in bands in jaws, on vomer and palatines.

Colour. Base colour pale grey to white, silvery pink to orangish dorsally. Two narrow yellow stripes one from snout through eye to caudal fin base, the other paler and less distinct from cheek to caudal fin base. Barbels whitish to yellow. Dorsal fins with light orange–red banding. Caudal fin with 9-13 (7-9 in juveniles < 10 cm SL), 4-8 black bars on upper caudal-fin lobe, the proximal bars slightly curved, 3-6 bars on lower lobe; the bars on both lobe tips black and other bars mostly red or brown becoming black at distal inner margins of lobes.

Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 33 cm TL, commonly to 25cm TL.

Inhabits sheltered, often turbid inshore waters over sand or mud substrates, and also near corals (depth 1-50m). Usually in small groups.

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

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. and D. Pauly. Eds. 2018. FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Upeneus-taeniopterus (06/06/19).  

Smith-Vaniz, W.F. & Williams, I. 2016. Upeneus taeniopterus (errata version 2017). The IUCN Red List 2016: e.T69538589A115463091. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T69538589A69539686.en. (25/04/20).