Photo. (c) 2019 John Nevill.
Photo. (c) 2019 John Nevill.
Genus: Mullidae/Goatfish
Scientific Name: Upeneus vittatus
English Name: Yellowstriped goatfish
Creole Name: Kapisen toutrel
French Name: Rouget-souris orangé
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC)
Description:
Dorsal spines: 3; Dorsal rays: 25-27; Anal rays: 24-25.
Greyish to greenish brown dorsally, with small pale spots. Whitish ventrally with yellow spots that can coalesce to form a reticulum particularly posteriorly. 3 large
oval white spots along the back and a small one dorsally on caudal peduncle; a broad white streak often on side of body posterior to upper end of gill opening. White
blotches and mid-lateral stripe can disappear with growth. An oblique groove before the eye; large bony scales behind gill opening. Caudal peduncle depressed, slender
and tapering. Yellow bands on dorsal and anal fins. Caudal fin, yellow with white bars and stripes pattern and diffuse black margin, double emarginate, lobes longer
with growth.
Size:
Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 60cm TL
Habitat and Ecology:
Reef associated. Inhabits mud and silt sand bottoms (depth 7-350m), usually 7-100m depth on sand, sponge, and weed bottoms. Feeds on benthic animals, including crabs,
molluscs and sea urchins. Juveniles in sheltered coastal bays and estuaries.
Fishery Status:
This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in both the fish trap and hand line fisheries and is, along with Sufflamen fraenatum,
the most commonly caught triggerfish in the artisanal fishery.
Notes:
Abalistes stellaris is a synonym for this species.
References:
Bray, D.J. (2018). Abalistes stellatus in Fishes of Australia, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/759 (30/10/18).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2018). FishBase https://www.fishbase.de/summary/abalistes-stellatus (30/10/18)
Matsuura, K. (2015). Taxonomy and systematics of tetraodontiform fishes: a review focusing primarily on progress in the period from 1980 to 2014. Ichthyol Res (2015)
62:72–113 DOI 10.1007/s10228-014-0444-5
Matsuura, K. & Motomura, H. (2015). Abalistes stellatus. The IUCN Red List 2015: e.T193587A56996805. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/193587/56996805 (18/06/22). .
Matsuura K, Yoshino T (2004). A new triggerfish of the genus Abalistes (Tetraodontiformes: Balistidae) from the western Pacific. Rec Aust Mus 56:189-194
Smith, M & Heemstra, P Eds. (1999). Smiths’ Sea Fishes Edition 6. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 10.1007/978-3-642-82858-4
Citation:
Nevill, J.E.G. & Mason-Parker, C. (2019). Abalistes stellatus, Starry triggerfish. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/abalistes-stellatus-anonymous-1798/ (updated 18/06/22).
Description:
Dorsal spines: 8; Dorsal rays: 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal rays: 7.
Elongate body tapering to tail, moderately compressed. Barbels short, usually not reaching posterior margin of preopercle.
Colour. White to silvery body, reddish brown dorsally. Four longitudinal stripes. 2 dorsolateral brown or pale brown stripes, the lower one distinct against the pale body, extending from operculum to behind second dorsal fin, the upper one indistinct and much shorter, beginning below first dorsal-fin origin. 2 yellow mid-lateral body stripes, one from eye to caudal-fin base, and the other stripe below from pectoral-fin base to caudal peduncle. Barbels white. Yellow spot at pectoral fin base. Faint yellowish patches along pelvic and anal-fin bases. Dorsal fins with 2 brown stripes and broad black tips. Upper lobe of caudal fin of adults with 5 dark brown to black transverse bands. The lower lobe with 3, the last of which is broader and markedly darker.
Size:
Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 28cm TL. Commonly to 20cm TL.
Habitat and Ecology:
Found in shallow lagoons and sheltered coastal flats, often on mud bottoms of shallow estuarine areas (depth 5-100m, record in New Caledonia of 320m). Often in groups. Feeds on a wide range of benthic invertebrates.
Fishery Status:
This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the fish trap and net fisheries, but is an uncommon component of the catch.
Notes:
References:
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. 2019. FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Upeneus-vittatus.html (20/07/19).
Randall, J.E. & Kulbicki, M. (2006). A Review of the Goatfishes of the Genus Upeneus (Perciformes: Mullidae) from New Caledonia and the Chesterfield Bank, with a New Species and Four New Records. Zoological Studies 45(3): 298-307 (2006).
Smith-Vaniz, W.F. & Williams, I. 2016. Upeneus vittatus (errata version published in 2017). The IUCN Red List 2016: e.T50903183A115404893. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T50903183A51347581.en. (20/07/19).
Citation:
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