HomeFish encyclopediaRay-finned fishesPerch-like fishGoatfishesTall-fin goatfish Tall-fin goatfish (Upeneus indicus) Scientific name: Upeneus indicus Uiblein & Heemstra, 2010 The Tall-fin goatfish (Upeneus indicus) is a marine fish of the family Mullidae. Native range: Western Indian Ocean, known only from western India. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VIII,9; pectoral fins 15-16; gill rakers 9 + 20-22 = 29-31; lateral line scales 36; body depth at first dorsal-fin origin 29-31% SL and at anal-fin origin 26-27% SL; caudal-peduncle depth 11% SL; maximum head depth 25% SL; head depth through eye 18-19% SL; head length 30-31%SL; orbit length 7.0-7.1% SL; upper jaw length 12% SL; barbel length 19-20% SL; caudal-fin length 27-28% SL; anal-fin height 13-14% SL; pelvic-fin length 19% SL; pectoral-fin length 23-24% SL; first dorsal-fin height 23-24% SL; second dorsal-fin height 15-26% SL; 8-10 total bars on caudal fin, 4-6 pale brown bars on upper caudal-fin lobe, 4 of same color on lower lobe with the 3 proximal bars on upper lobe slightly curved with caudal-fin bars wider than pale interspaces between bars; in preserved specimens, bars faintly retained. Fresh fish with 3 pale brown lateral body stripes, one mid-lateSource: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameUpeneus indicusFamilyMullidae (Goatfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length14.0EnvironmentMarine; reef-associatedClimateTropicalDistributionWestern Indian Ocean: known only from western India.Conservation status (IUCN)Not EvaluatedThreat to humansHarmless SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026