About Parupeneus forsskali (Fourmanoir & Guézé, 1976)
Parupeneus forsskali, commonly called the Red Sea goatfish, reaches a common length of around 25 centimeters (9.8 inches), while males can grow to a maximum length of 28 centimeters (11 inches). This species has a relatively elongated body, a pointed snout, and the twin chin barbels that are characteristic of all goatfishes. It has eight dorsal spines, nine soft dorsal rays, and seven soft anal rays. Its body is white, with a broad black to dark brown stripe that sometimes takes on a reddish tint; this stripe runs from the upper lip through the eye and along the length of the body. After the stripe, there is an irregular, roundish black spot at the base of the yellow caudal peduncle. The area of the body above the stripe is grayish green. The caudal fin is yellow, and the second dorsal and anal fins have narrow blue and yellow stripes. This species is endemic to the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. It has also been present in the Mediterranean Sea since its first confirmed sighting there in 2012. It is a marine subtropical fish that lives on shallow sandy bottoms, at depths ranging from 1 to 45 meters (3 feet 3 inches to 147 feet 8 inches).
