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Dash-dot Goatfish

Parupeneus barberinus

Photo by AlbertKang
Published on Project Noah
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13.7045, 120.877

Field Notes

Description:

White with pale gray to yellow on upper back; narrow black stripe extends from snout to below 2nd dorsal fin, large black spot on tail base.

Habitat:

Sand and rubble bottoms near shallow reefs.

Notes:

Goatfishes are easily identified by 2 large barbels below its mouth which they uses to search for food at the sea bottom.

Pics above shows the Goatfish getting cleaned by Cleaner Wrasse.
When getting cleaned, they hover at a certain angle as a signal for the Cleaner Wrasses to clean them.

Reference Links:

Goatfish

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (4)
AlbertKang
Yes, @Gilma, animals needs cleaning too :D, but not the kind of cleaning as in showers and baths :p They have parasites on their body, gills, mouths and other parts and they can't get rid of them. So, they go to the cleaner wrasses and other 'cleaning fishes' or even cleaner shrimps to let the cleaning fishes/shrimps do the job. When they want to get cleaned, they have to 'slow down' and hover in a certain posture to let the cleaner fishes know they want to get cleaned :D
AlbertKang
Yes, @Marta :) Cleaning stations are all over the place if you take your dive during your dives to observes :D

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Global Coral Reef Monitoring
Mission
Philippine Wildlife
Mission
Mission WILD
Mission
National Geographic's Great Nature Project

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Photographed
PublishedAugust 18, 2014

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