Large prominent, diamond-shaped scales, two white stripes from snout passing above and below eye, and fading along body, occasionally a third stripe from corner of mouth across pectoral fin base, usually pinkish-grey, but can be red-brown, or yellowish with yellow pelvic and anal fins. Light patch on upper tail base, at base of soft dorsal fin. Similar P. spilurus (Blacksaddle Goatfish), has black spot behind light patch on upper tail base.

• Max Size: 38 cm
• Sea Temperature Range: 16.2-30.4°C
• Depth: 2-91m
• Habitat: Coral Reef, Seagrass, Soft sediment
• Habitat Generalisation Index: 11.3
  Also referred to as the SGI (Species generalisation index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here

• IUCN Threat Status: Not Evaluated
• Occurrence: Infrequent (5% of sites)
  Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
• Abundance: Few (4 per transect)
  Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.