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How do goatfish use their chin barbels to search for food?
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perciform
Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus orientalis) in the waters near Japan.
Goatfish use their pair of long, sensory chin barbels to locate small, bottom-living invertebrates that serve as their primary food source. These barbels are highly sensitive to touch and are equipped with numerous taste buds, allowing the fish to detect and select food items before ingestion. When the goatfish is not actively searching for prey, it keeps these barbels tucked away in a specialized groove on its throat.12