HomeFish encyclopediaRay-finned fishesPerch-like fishGoatfishesWhitesaddle goatfish Whitesaddle goatfish (Parupeneus ciliatus) Scientific name: Parupeneus ciliatus Lacep?de, 1802 The Whitesaddle goatfish (Parupeneus ciliatus) is a marine fish of the family Mullidae. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 7. Diagnosis: Pectoral rays 15 (rarely 14 or 16); gill rakers 6-8 + 23-27 (total 30-34); body depth 2.93.5 in SL; head length (HL) 2.85-3.25 in SL; dorsal profile of snout straight to slightly concave, the snout length 1.85-2.1 in HL; barbels short, 1.5-1.8 in HL; longest dorsal spine 1.55-1.9 in HL; last dorsal ray slightly longer than penultimate ray; posterior margin of caudal-fin lobes convex; pectoral-fin length 1.35-1.55 in HL; pelvic-fin length 1.2-1.55 in HL. Color brown to red dorsally, paler ventrally, the scale edges darker; scales on body with or without a white or pale blue spot; a darker brown or brownish red stripe, broadly bordered in white, from front of snout through center of eye, becoming indistinct below origin of second dorsal fin; a dark brown spot within stripe behind eye; a second dark stripe across cheek parallel to the first, bordered below by a white bandSource: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameParupeneus ciliatusFamilyMullidae (Goatfishes)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length38.0Depth range2–91 m (7–299 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 91 m, usually 2 - 40 mClimateTropicalDistributionIndo-Pacific: western Indian Ocean to the Line, Marquesan, and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia and Rapa. Replaced by Parupeneus porphyeus in the Hawaiian Islands.Conservation status (IUCN)Not EvaluatedThreat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: commercial; gamefish: yesResilienceMedium, 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