PINGUIPEDIDAE


Parapercis hexophthalma
(photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin)


Parapercis hexophthalma
(Cuvier, 1829)
Speckled Sandperch

D V, 21; A I, 17; P1 16-18 (usually 17); LLp 58-61; 3-6 + 7-10. Body cylindrical. Usually 4 pairs of canine teeth on lower jaw anteriorly. Palatine teeth absent. Fourth dorsal spine longest. Membrane from spinous dorsal connected to 1st soft ray opposite tip of last spine. Color: body light brown dorsally with rows of small dark spots, whitish ventrally with a lower series of 3-4 black spots with yellow margin in males, 7-8 in females; cheek region with several brownish lines in males, with small black spots in females; caudal fin with a large black spot. Size: attaining to about 23 cm. Distribution: Indian Ocean, including east coast of Africa, Red Sea and Andaman Sea. Remarks: Parapercis polyophtalma (Cuvier, 1829) is a junior synonym of this species. Although 3 populations from southern Japan to Indonesia, eastern Australia, and Fiji, Tonga, Samoa and Rennell Islands were previously identified with P. hexophtalma, being different species, respectively.