| Brotula multibarbata | |
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| Illustration | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Ophidiiformes |
| Genus: | Brotula |
| Species: | B. multibarbata |
| Binomial name | |
| Brotula multibarbata | |
| Synonyms | |
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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. [2]
Brotula multibarbata is an elongated fish with a soft usually brown or red brown body. [3] 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. [2] It uses its slender body to move through narrow reef passages where it feeds in relative secrecy. [3] 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. [4]
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 [5] . It often shelters in rocky outcrops that provide numerous small holes and crevices that it can hide in. [5]
