Lethrinus amboinensis

Osteichthyes Lethrinidae Lethrinus amboinensis

Ambon emperor LLB

24.5 cm TL

Characteristic features:

Colour:

Body brownish yellow scattered with indistinct dark blotches; the center portion of pectoral fins white, the outer edges yellow.

Size:

Up to 70 cm TL.

Distribution:

East Indian & West Pacific, in tropical waters.

Habitat:

Coral reefs, from 5 to 30 m depth.

Biology:

Feeds primarily on fishes and crustaceans.

Indonesian fisheries:

Caught mainly with handlines.

Similar species:

Lethrinus olivaceus
Longface emperor

Lethrinus olivaceus differs in having posterior angle of operculum with a wide naked area (vs. fully scaled) and a red spot usually on upper edge of operculum (vs. red spot absent).

to Lethrinus olivaceus

Lethrinus rubrioperculatus
Spotcheek emperor

Lethrinus rubrioperculatus differs in having membranes between inner rays of pelvic fins without a dense covering of melanophores (vs. membranes mostly covered with melanophores).

to Lethrinus rubrioperculatus

Lethrinus microdon
Smalltooth Emperor

Lethrinus microdon differs in having 3 dark streaks radiating forward from eye (vs. dark streaks radiating from eye not usually present); inner surface of pectoral-fin base never red (vs. usually red).

to Lethrinus microdon

External links:

FishBase
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species^TM