LETHRINIDAE


Monotaxis grandoculis
(adult; photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin)



Monotaxis grandoculis
(young; photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin)


Monotaxis grandoculis
(Forsskål, 1775)
Humpnose Bigeye Bream

D X, 10; A III, 9; P1 14; P2 I, 5; LLp 44-47.

Body oblong, compressed; body depth 2.1-2.7 in SL. Head profile strongly convex in front of eye; nearly straight in juveniles. Maxilla with a longitudinal denticulated ridge. A broad patch of villiform teeth bordered by an outer row of canine teeth in anterior parts of jaws, followed by a series of 6 or 7 round, flat molars on each side posteriorly. Caudal fin forked, with pointed tips. Cheek covered with scales; inner surface of pectoral fin axil covered with scales. Color: body bluish gray dorsally, whitish ventrally. Lips and around eye often yellowish. Fins clear or dusky, but often reddish to yellowish orange; base of upper pectoral fin and inner base of pectoral fin axil black. Size: maximum length about 60 cm. Distribution: widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific, including the Hawaiian Islands and southeastern Oceania. Remarks: occurs on coral reefs and sandy area in depths between about 3 and 60 m, appearing most common between 5 and 30 m. Feeds on a wide variety of benthic invertebrates. (Hiroyuki Motomura)