Scientific Name
Parupeneus cyclostomus
Common Name
Gold-saddle goatfish
Biology
Dorsal
spines
(total): 8;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 9;
Anal
spines: 1;
Anal
soft rays: 7. Diagnosis: Pectoral rays 16 (rarely 15 or 17). Gill rakers 6-7 + 22-26 (total 29-33). Body depth 3.25-3.8 in SL (body deeper with growth); head length (HL) 2.85-3.1 in SL; snout long, its length 1.61.8 in HL; eye small, the orbit diameter 5.3-8.95 in HL (SL 118-392 mm); barbels very long, 1.15 in HL to longer than head; longest dorsal spine 1.5-1.7 in HL; penultimate dorsal ray 1.1-1.2 in length of last dorsal ray; pectoral-fin length 1.5-1.7 in HL; pelvic-fin length 1.35-1.55 in HL. Color of large adults yellowish gray, the edges of the scales bright blue except ventrally, the edges more broadly blue posteriorly; a large, hemispherical, saddle-like, yellow spot covering most of upper half of caudal peduncle; region around eye yellow with radiating short narrow blue bands; caudal fin with longitudinal blue bands; second dorsal and anal fins with narrow oblique blue bands; a seco