Plectropomus oligacanthus


Highfin coral trout EMW
Characteristic features:
Colour:

Head, body and fins adults reddish-brown to red with horizontal to oblique blue lines on rear of head and vertical blue lines and streaks anteriorly on body.

Size:

Up to 75 cm TL.

Distribution:

West Pacific in tropical waters.

Habitat:

Coral reefs, from 4 to 150 m depth

Indonesian fisheries:

Caught with hook-and-line, spear and in traps.

Similar species:

Plectropomus areolatus
Squaretail coral trout

Plectropomus areolatus feature

Plectropomus areolatus differs in having small uniformly sized blue spots over head and body (vs. horizontal to oblique blue lines on head, vertical blue lines or dashes along sides of body (at least in adults) and spots elsewhere) and dorsal and anal fins with spots (vs. with blue lines and spots).

Plectropomus laevis
Blacksaddle coral trout

Plectropomus laevis feature

Plectropomus laevis differs in having pectoral-fin rays 16–18 (vs. 14–16); head pale white and yellowish with a black saddle over eye if “pale” form, or round to oval spots uniform in size if “dark” form (vs. head with vertical blue lines) and yellow, sometimes with black if “pale” form, or blue spots if “dark” form (vs. dorsal and anal fins with blue lines and spots).

Plectropomus leopardus
Leopard coral trout

Plectropomus leopardus feature

Plectropomus leopardus differs in having a blue ring around eye (vs. no blue ring); small, round blue spots over head and body (vs. horizontal to oblique blue lines on head, vertical blue lines or dashes along sides of body (at least in adults) and spots elsewhere) and no spots ventrally (vs. spots ventrally).

Plectropomus maculatus
Spotted coral trout

Plectropomus maculatus feature

Plectropomus maculatus differs in having few spots, many oval or elongate, on the head with 3–7 on cheek (below and behind the eye to rear edge of preopercle) (vs. horizontal to oblique blue lines on head); spots on body round and oval, becoming more uniformly round posteriorly (vs. vertical blue lines or dashes along sides of body (at least in adults) and spots elsewhere) and dorsal and anal fins with blue spots only (vs. with blue lines and spots).

Plectropomus pessuliferus
Roving coral grouper

Plectropomus pessuliferus feature

Plectropomus pessuliferus differs in having some spots on head horizontally elongate, and some on the sides of body vertically elongate (vs. horizontal to oblique blue lines on head, vertical blue lines or dashes along sides of body (at least in adults)) and dorsal and anal fins with blue spots only (vs. blue lines and spots).

Variola spp.
Lyretail

Variola albimarginata feature
Variola albimarginata

Variola spp. differ in having 9 dorsal-fin spines (vs. 7–8); lower edge of preopercle smooth (vs. lower edge of preopercle with 1 to 3 enlarged spines) and caudal fin lunate (vs. emarginate).

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