LUTJANIDAE


Lutjanus quinquelineatus, FRLM 30638, 16.2 cm SL

Lutjanus quinquelineatus (Bloch, 1790)
Five-lined snapper

D X, 13 - 15; A III, 8; P1 16 - 17; LLp 47 - 50; GR 7 - 8 + 13 - 15. Body moderately deep, its depth 2.3 - 2.9 in SL. Anterodorsal profile of head steeply sloped; preorbital width usually less than eye diameter; preopercular notch and knob well developed. Posterior profile of dorsal and anal fins rounded to angular; caudal fin truncate or slightly emarginate. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Color: generally bright yellow, including fins, with a series of 5 blue stripes on each side; a round black spot, about the size of the eye or larger, below anterior most soft dorsal rays, touching the lateral line but mostly above it; fins yellow. Size: maximum length about 38 cm, commonly to 20 cm. Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman to Fiji, north to southern Japan, south to Australia. Remarks: inhabits sheltered lagoons and exposed, outer slope coral reefs at depth range of 2 - 40 m.