| Family: |
Haemulidae (Grunts), subfamily: Plectorhinchinae |
| Max. size: |
75 cm TL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; freshwater; brackish; marine; depth range 8 - 25 m |
| Distribution: |
Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea to Natal, South Africa (including Madagascar and the Comoro and Reunion islands); Gulf of Aden and the Persian Gulf eastward to Samoa, north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Australia; Caroline and Mariana islands in Micronesia. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 14-14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15-16; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-8. Description: Adult plain grey, often with pale centers, vertical bar broad black diffuse from dorsal to midlateral side across anterior part of body; margin of gill opening, cheek, and fins dusky. Juveniles brown to near black, mimicking leaves floating in surface waters, large whitish blotches often present (Ref. 48635, 90102). Lips very thick in adults. Body depth 2.1-2.7 in SL. Caudal fin slightly rounded in juveniles becoming truncate in adults (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Found in coastal reefs, sandbanks, and near estuaries (Ref. 30573). Enter freshwater (Ref. 7050). Small juveniles occur along sheltered sandy shorelines where they mimic a dead leaf by drifting on their sides (Ref. 37816). Adults mainly in protected inshore reefs to deep offshore, sometimes swims in small groups (Ref. 48635). Excellent food fish (Ref. 2799). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 25 August 2011 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
reports of ciguatera poisoning |
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