Bluespotted Goatfish

Upeneichthys vlamingii has a moderately long and compressed body with a rounded dorsal profile which is steep in front of first dorsal fin. It has a long snout and is small eyed with a small mouth which has fleshy lips which do not reach the front of the eye. It has two dorsal fins. The first is spiny and is taller and shorter base than the second which contains soft-rays. The barbels on its chin are roughly the same length as its head. The colour of this species is very variable with a background colour which may be greyish-cream, pale greenish, pinkish to orange-red. Many specimens show a reddish or black stripe along the flanks from the snout to the caudal peduncle. The adults have the scales on their bodies marked with blue spots. During the night and when stimulated, they often darken their body to a reddish colour. The first dorsal fin has 9 spines while the second dorsal fin has 8 rays, the anal fin has 1-2 spinesd and 8 rays. This species may be difficult to distinguish from the blue-striped goatfish (Upeneus lineatus) but this species has a marginally longer head a dark flank stripe.

Upeneichthys vlamingii is widespread along the costs off southern Australia, where it can be very common. Its range extends from southern Western Australia east along the southern Australian coast to Tasmania and north along the east coast as far as southern New South Wales.