Mackerel goatfish

The body is elongated, somewhat compressed from the sides, the height of the body fit 3.5-4 times the standard length of the body; as the fish grows, the relative body height increases. Snout length 2.45–2.75 times shorter than head length. Two long chinatics, the ends of which do not reach the posterior edge of the slat ; their length is 1.55-2.1 times the length of the head. The mouth is small; on both jaws, the bristle-shaped teeth are arranged in a narrow strip; there are teeth on the palatine bone and the vomer . On the upper half of the first branchial arch 7–9 gill stamens , and on the lower half 19–22 (total 26–30). Two dorsal fins separated by a noticeable gap. In the first dorsal fin there are 8 hard rays (the first spike is very small). In the second dorsal fin there are 9 soft rays, the second and third rays are the longest. In the anal fin 1 spiny and 7 soft rays. In pectoral fins 15-17 (usually 16) soft rays. The tail fin is forked. In the lateral line 33-35 scales. The body is covered with large scales , there are no scales on the sides of the snout, there are small scales on the bases of the second dorsal and anal fins. Between the bases of the dorsal fins fit 5½ scales. Along the upper edge of the tail stele, 12–13 scales ^{[2] [3] [4]} .

The head and back are brown-red or bright red, the sides of the body and the belly are white. A wide bright yellow stripe runs from the upper part of the orbit of the eye along the whole body above the lateral line to the caudal fin. Both dorsal fins are yellow with three red horizontal stripes. Pectoral fins are colorless, pelvic fins are yellowish. Upper lobe of caudal fin whitish with 5–8 dark red oblique thin stripes; there are no stripes on the lower blade, except for the upper edge with a strip that is a continuation of the strip from the upper blade. Chin whiskers from white to pink. Peritoneum brown or dark brown ^{[2] [3] [4]} .

The maximum body length is 22 cm, usually up to 18 cm. Life expectancy is up to 5 years ^[5] .

Sea bottom fish. They inhabit coastal waters above sandy and silty soils at a depth of 10–150 m. They form small accumulations. They feed on benthic organisms, finding prey with the help of sensitive chinatars. Crustaceans predominate in the diet, with the increase in the proportion of fish.

In the Mediterranean, they first mature at the age of one year with a body length of 10 cm. They spawn from late July to September. The diameter of mature eggs is 0.3—0.4 mm. Pelagic roe and larvae. Transition to the bottom way of life with a body length of 4-5 cm ^{[4] [6]} .

Black-tailed goatfish is widespread in the Indo-Pacific region from the Red Sea along the east coast of Africa , including Madagascar and the Seychelles to New Caledonia . In the western part of the Pacific Ocean occurs from the south of Japan to the south of Australia . Through the Suez Canal penetrated into the Mediterranean Sea, where they became quite numerous ^{[6] [7]} .

In most areas, the black-tailed goatfish has a small commercial value, although sometimes as large by- catch is caught. In the city of Visakhapatnam (southeastern India), catches of this species in the 2000s accounted for up to 18% of the total catch of the goatul ^[8] . In the Mediterranean Sea is an important commercial object ^[4] . Catch the depth trawls . Realized fresh.

• Uiblein, F. & Heemstra, PC A taxonomic review of the Indian Ocean goatfishes of the genus Upeneus (Family Mullidae), with descriptions of four new species // Smithiana Bulletin. - 2010. - № 11 . - P. 35-71.
• JE Randal. MULLIDAE Goatfishes (surmullets) // FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 5. Bony fishes part 3 (Menidae to Pomacentridae) / Carpenter, KE; Niem, VH (eds). - Rome: FAO, 2001. - p. 3175–3200. - 2791—3380 p. - ISBN 92-5-104587-9 .

• The view of the Upeneus moluccensis (English) in the World Register of Marine Species . (Checked March 14, 2019)
• Golden banded goat-fish ( Upeneus moluccensis ) (English) . Fishes of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Marine Species Identification Portal . The appeal date is March 13, 2019.