Mullidae (Goatfishes)
Mulloidichthys martinicus
0 to 100+ ft
The body is gray to olive in color, darker on the back and paling on the underside. A bright yellow stripe runs from the eye to the tail fin. All of the fins are yellow or pale. Superficially, it is similar to the yellowtail snapper but can be distinguished by the barbels under its chin and its behavior (foraging in the sand). The yellow goatfish grows to a length of 16 inches (40 cm). The yellow goatfish is abundant in the Cayman Islands. It is the most common goatfish in our waters. It inhabits coral reefs and adjacent sand areas between 5 and 200 feet (1 - 60 m). Individuals or small groups feed over sand bottoms using the barbels on the chin to sense and uncover small invertebrates in the sand. When not feeding, large aggregations hover over nearby reefs.
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