Lutjanus bitaeniatus (Valenciennes, 1830)
Indonesian snapper
photo by CSIRO

Family:  Lutjanidae (Snappers), subfamily: Lutjaninae
Max. size:  30 cm TL (male/unsexed)
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 40 - 80 m
Distribution:  Eastern Indian Ocean: known only from a few specimens collected at Indonesia (off Sumatra and Sulawesi) and west of Kuri Bay, Western Australia.
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-14; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-9. Snout somewhat pointed, dorsal profile of head sloping steeply. Preorbital bone relatively narrow, its width usually slightly less than eye diameter. Preopercular notch and knob poorly developed. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Generally red or pink when fresh; fins are red or orange. Juveniles under 10 cm SL have blackish caudal fin lobe tips, frequently also a crescentic blackish blotch in the middle of the caudal fin, sometimes also with a yellowish mid-lateral stripe extending from the rear edge of the operculum to the middle of the caudal fin.
Biology:  Adults inhabit deeper reef areas. They occur solitarily or in small groups.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 13 July 2020 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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