Por’s Goatfish

The Upeneus pori, commonly known as Por's goatfish, is a species of marine ray-finned fish belonging to the Mullidae family. It is predominantly found in the western 🌊 Indian Ocean and the eastern Mediterranean Sea, inhabiting subtropical marine environments at depths ranging from 20 to 52 meters.

This species features an elongated body with a rounded snout, colored in shades of greyish or red-brown with darker back tones. Its body is marked with grey or reddish-brown spots extending to the lower flanks, but it typically lacks a prominent lateral stripe in fresh specimens. A distinguishing feature is the dark brown or red bar running vertically through the eye, and the chin is adorned with white or yellow barbels. The first dorsal fin is devoid of color, while the caudal fin displays 11–15 bars comprising 4–6 reddish-brown bars on the upper lobe and 6–9 red-brown or grey bars on the lower lobe, forming a broad stripe. Additionally, there are 3–4 brownish-red or grey bars on the inner part of the lower lobe, usually visible on preserved specimens. The dorsal fins possess 7 spines and 9 soft rays, and the anal fin consists of a single spine with 7 soft rays. Upeneus pori can reach a standard length of 19 centimeters and a maximum weight of 70 grams.

In terms of distribution, Upeneus pori is naturally found in the 🌊 Red Sea and the northwestern 🌊 Indian Ocean, extending as far as the southern coast of 🇴🇲 Oman. It has also been noted off the coast of 🇲🇬 Madagascar in the southwestern 🌊 Indian Ocean. Since 1950, the species has become highly abundant in the eastern Mediterranean Sea following its migration via the Suez Canal (🇪🇬 Egypt), recently reaching areas such as 🇹🇳 Tunisia and Sicily.

Upeneus pori primarily feeds on benthic invertebrates, particularly crustaceans, and to some extent on polychaetes. The species uses its barbels as sensory tools to detect prey. In the Mediterranean, its spawning season occurs from April to September.

Etymologically, the genus name "Upeneus" is derived from the Greek word 'ypene,' meaning upper lip.