Brotula multibarbata

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]