PLESIOPIDAE


Plesiops corallicola, 11.3 cm SL
(photo by Ukkrit Satapoomin)


Plesiops corallicola
Bleeker, 1853
Bluegill Longfin

D XII, 7-8; A III, 8; P1 20-22; P2 I, 4; LLp 18-21 + 7-14; GR 3-7 + 6-12.

Body elongate. Maxilla not covered with scales. Preopercular margin smooth. No teeth on tongue. Membranes between dorsal-fin spines deeply incised. Two disjunct lateral lines with tubed scales, one from upper end of opercle to last dorsal-fin ray, the other running midlaterally onto caudal peduncle. Color: head, trunk and caudal fin dark with numerous bluish spots. A large blue to black spot, subequal size with orbit diameter, on lower part of opercle. Pectoral fins translucent, bordered distally with rustcolored. Size: maximum length 18 cm SL. Distribution: distributed from the eastern Indian Ocean to the islands of Micronesia, Tonga, and the Cook Islands; not known from Australia or New Caledonia. Remarks: relatively common on shallow reef flats to depths of 23 m.