Common Name: Diamondscale Goatfish

Distribution: Uncommon in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region: from the western Indian Ocean to the Line, Marquesan, and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Australia and Rapa. In Australia recorded north from around Exmouth in Western Australia, the Coral Sea and Great Barrier Reef in Queensland south to northern New South Wales, and including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequents seagrass beds and coraline areas of lagoon and seaward reefs. Depth 2 – 91 m, usually 2 – 40 m.

Additional Notes: Pinkish brown with prominent large scales and two white stripes from snout which fade toward the rear of the body. Small white patch under rear dorsal fin followed by darker area on upper tail base. Similar Parupeneus spilurus has large black spot on tail base. Uses barbels to find prey in sand and soft sediment adjacent to reef and in lagoon areas. Feeds on benthic crustaceans and other invertebrates at night. Grows to at least 38 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.187.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=parupeneus+ciliatus. Accessed 27/06/18.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://fishbase.ca/summary/parupeneus-ciliatus.html. Accessed 27/06/18.