Brotula multibarbata

Brotula multibarbata
Illustration
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Ophidiiformes
Genus:	Brotula
Species:	B. multibarbata
Binomial name
Brotula multibarbata Temminck & Schlegel, 1847
Synonyms
Brotula burbonensis Kaup, 1858 Brotula ensiformis Günther, 1862 Brotula multicirrata Vaillant & Sauvage, 1875 Brotula japonica Steindachner & Döderlein, 1887 Brotula ferruginosus (Tickell, 1888) Brotula marginalis Jenkins, 1901 Brotula formosae Jordan & Evermann, 1902 Brotula muelleri Günther, 1909 Brotula jayakari Günther, 1909 Brotula palmietensis J.L.B. Smith, 1935

Brotula multibarbata, commonly known as the goatbeard brotula, is a species of reef cusk eel in the family Ophidiidae. It is found throughout the Indo-Pacific region, typically at depths of around 300 meters.

Description

Brotula multibarbata is an elongated fish with a soft usually brown or red brown body. It has a series of short barbels located around its head. These barbels function as sensory organs that allow it to detect prey in dim environments. It uses its slender body to move through narrow reef passages where it feeds in relative secrecy. Due to its nocturnal behavior and deep-water habitat, Brotula multibarbata is rarely seen by divers or researchers. Even in ideal conditions with high visibility, the species remains hidden for much of the day.

Distribution and habitat

The species has been recorded in various locations across the Indo-Pacific, including the waters around the Cook Islands, Hawai'i, Japan and the Red Sea. It often shelters in rocky outcrops that provide numerous small holes and crevices that it can hide in.