| Family: |
Lutjanidae (Snappers), subfamily: Paradicichthyinae |
| Max. size: |
100 cm SL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 13 kg |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 20 - 100 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Pacific: Ryukyu Islands to the Indo-Australian Archipelago (Malay Peninsula to New Guinea and northern Australia). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-16; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 9-9. Description: Head profile steep. Preorbital bone broader than eye. A deep groove between the eye and nostrils. Preopercular notch and knob absent. Mouth large extending to below middle of eye. Anterior dorsal soft rays produced into filaments in young. Pectoral fins long reaching level of anus. Scale rows on back parallel to lateral line. Juveniles whitish along lower half of the body from below eye level. Young with bright blue stripes on yellowish sides; brown back. Adults yellowish brown to reddish. Sometimes show faint vertical barring. Numerous blue lines along scale-rows that are brightest in sub-adults (Ref. 48635). Distinguished by steep snout profile and elevated dorsal and anal fins, and filaments on soft dorsal fin. Body depth 2.6-2.8 in SL (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Adults inhabit coral reefs, from shallow water to depths of at least 50 m. They occur singly. They feed mainly on fishes. Frequently ciguatoxic in certain areas. Sold in Hong Kong live fish markets (Ref. 27253). It causes ciguatera poisoning in some areas. Banned for sale in Australia. (Ref. 90102) |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 05 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
reports of ciguatera poisoning |
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