FISHES OF THE MARSHALL AND 



MARIANAS ISLANDS 



Volume 2 



Family MULLIDAE: Goatfishes 

 By Ernest A. Lachner 



Members of the family Mullidae are readily recognized by the 

 two long, unbranched barbels below the chin, then" bodies being 

 moderately elongate and often brilliantly colored. Goatfishes are 

 mainly inshore, bottom forms, of small size, occurring in tropical and 

 semitropical marine waters. The meat is sweet and is relished as a 

 delicacy. 



This report reviews all forms found in Oceania. The Mullidae of 

 various areas of the Indo-Pacific other than Oceania have been 

 reviewed by several authors, such as the early report by Bleeker 

 (Verb. Akad. Wet. Amsterdam, vol. 15, pp. 1-40, 1875) and the more 

 recent studies by Herre and Montalban (Philippine Journ. Sci., vol. 36, 

 No. 1, pp. 95-136, pis. 1-6, 1928), Weber and de Beaufort (Fishes of 

 the Indo-Australian Archipelago, vol. 6, pp. 361-408, figs. 75-79, 

 1931) and Fowler (U. S. Nat. Mus. Bull. 100, vol. 12, pp. 258-344, 

 figs. 19-32, 1933). A revision of the genus Upeneus was published by 

 Lachner (Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. vol. 103, No. 3330, pp. 497-532, 

 pis. 13 and 14, 1954), The many closely related but wide ranging 

 species in the family, particularly those in the genus Parupeneus, 

 and the incomplete nature of the collections from the area under study, 

 necessitated a review of the species occurring in a broader geographical 

 area. The residt is a more reliable appraisal of the species. 



Many species show differentiation only in coloration, such as the 

 presence or absence of a spot or color mark, or its shape or location. 

 There are few meristic and other morphological characters that aid in 

 the separation of the species. We thus find, as a result of the numerous 

 closely related species and their great range over the Indo-Pacific 

 area, a confusing nomenclature. Many nominal forms have been 

 described from the various insular and subfaunal areas of this vast 

 region. Progress toward a stable nomenclature can be attained only 

 in an appraisal of all forms in the family, including an evaluation of 

 all types in extant. 



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