LACTARIIDAE


Lactarius lactarius, 21.6 cm SL
(photo by Keiichi Matsuura)


Lactarius lactarius
(Bloch and Schneider, 1801)
False Trevally

D VII-VIII + I, 19-23; A III, 25-28; P1 17-18; P2 I, 5; LLp 74-80.

Body moderately elongate, strongly compressed. Posterior margin of maxilla reaching or extending beyond a vertical through middle of orbit. A pair of small canine teeth anteriorly in jaws. Caudal peduncle not exceptionally narrowed. Two dorsal fins of subequal height. No detached spines in front of anal fin. Caudal fin forked. No scutes along lateral line. Color: body silver with blue iridescence above. A blackish blotch on upper edge of opercle. Fins pale yellow to colorless. Size: maximum length about 35 cm SL. Distribution: distributed in the Indo-West Pacific, from the Persian Gulf east to Fiji, and Taiwan south to northern Australia. Remarks: generally found on sandy bottoms in depths of less than 100 m. Known to form schools.