[3] Goatfish are characterized by two chin barbels (or goatee), which contain chemosensory organs and are used to probe the sand or holes in the reef for food.

These genera are classified as belonging to the Mullidae:[6] Goatfish are distributed worldwide in tropical, subtropical, and temperate waters, in a range of habitats.

Some species, such as the freckled goatfish (Upeneus tragula), enter estuaries and rivers, although not to any great extent.

Goatfish are benthic feeders, using a pair of long chemosensory barbels (whiskers) protruding from their chins to feel through the sediments in search of prey.

By day, many goatfish will form large schools of inactive (nonfeeding) fish; these aggregates may contain both conspecifics and heterospecifics.

One notable example, the diurnal goldsaddle goatfish (Parupeneus cyclostomus) can change from a lemon-yellow to a pale cream whilst feeding.

The larvae drift in oceanic waters or in the outer shelf for a period of 4–8 weeks until they metamorphose and develop barbels.