HomeFish encyclopediaRay-finned fishesPerch-like fishGoatfishesPor's goatfish Por's goatfish (Upeneus pori) Scientific name: Upeneus pori Ben-Tuvia & Golani, 1989 The Por's goatfish (Upeneus pori) is a marine fish of the family Mullidae. Native range: Western Indian Ocean, Red Sea to southern Oman. Entered the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 7; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 7. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VII,9; pectoral fins 14; gill rakers 7-8 + 18-20 = 26-27; lateral line scales 29-30; body depth at first dorsal fin origin 21-24% SL and at anus 20-22% SL; caudal-peduncle depth 9.1-10% SL; maximum head depth 18-20% SL; head depth through eye 15-16% SL; head length 26-28%SL; orbit length 6.3-7.8% SL; upper jaw length 10-11% SL; barbel length 16-18% SL; caudal-fin length 27-29% SL; anal-fin height 16-17% SL; pelvic-fin length 20-23% SL; pectoral-fin length 20-22% SL; first dorsal-fin height 20-21% SL; second dorsal-fin height 15-16% SL; 11-15 total bars on caudal fin, 4-6 reddish brown bars on upper caudal-fin lobe; 5-9 red-brown or grey bars on ventral half of lower lobe, extending to a broad brown or dark grey stripe along middle of lobe; 3-4 brownish-red or grey bars on inner, dorsal half of lower caudal-fin lobe (barSource: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameUpeneus poriFamilyMullidae (Goatfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length19.0EnvironmentMarine; demersalClimateSubtropicalDistributionWestern Indian Ocean: Red Sea to southern Oman. Entered the Mediterranean Sea via the Suez Canal.Conservation status (IUCN)Not EvaluatedThreat to humansHarmlessResilienceMedium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026