Mullus auratus Jordan & Gilbert, 1882
Red goatfish
Mullus auratus
photo by NOAA\NMFS\Mississippi Laboratory

 Family:  Mullidae (Goatfishes)
 Max. size:  25 cm TL (male/unsexed); 27 cm TL (female); max.weight: 291.0 g
 Environment:  demersal; depth range 9 - 91 m
 Distribution:  Western Atlantic: Nova Scotia, Canada and Bermuda to Guyana. Rare north of Florida, USA; absent from Bahamas.
 Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 9-9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-8; Anal spines: 2-2; Anal soft rays: 6-6. Red to reddish dorsally, grading to whitish ventrally, with 2 to 5 longitudinal yellow stripes that are generally not sharply defined. First dorsal fin with 2 orange to red stripes, the outer part of fin sometimes blackish. Second dorsal fin with 4 or 5 narrow reddish stripes. Caudal fin reddish. Snout short, the dorsal profile steep, forming an angle of about 60ยบ and nearly straight. Interorbital space broad and flat. Teeth very small, in a villiform band in lower jaw, none in upper jaw. No spine in opercle (Ref 52648).
 Biology:  Inhabits neritic waters, especially over sand or mud bottoms (Ref. 5217). Flesh considered excellent quality; marketed fresh (Ref. 3792).
 IUCN Red List Status:   (Ref. 96402)
 Threat to humans:  harmless
 Country info:   
 

 Entered by: Luna, Susan M. - 17.10.90
 Modified by: Garilao, Cristina V. - 14.08.98
 Checked by: Torres, Armi G. - 24.08.94

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