| Family: |
Priacanthidae (Bigeyes or catalufas) |
| Max. size: |
30 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 12 - 400 m, oceanodromous |
| Distribution: |
Western Pacific: southern Japan to western Indonesia, the Arafura Sea (Ref. 9819), and Australia. Reported from Peter the Great Bay (Ref. 27683). |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-14; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 13-14. Medium-sized fish of moderately deep body. The eyes large; the mouth oblique, with the lower jaw projecting upwards. The body tapers very slightly to beneath the middle of the soft portion of the dorsal fin, and then abruptly to the peduncle. This species is distinguished from P. fitchi by the presence of numerous rusty brown to yellowish spots in the membranes of the dorsal and anal fins, and its less tapered body.
Description: Characterized further by the following: soft portion of dorsal fin about equal to spinous portion, rounded posteriorly; rounded caudal fin; well developed preopercular spine, reaching beyond posterior tip of interopercle (Ref. 90102). |
| Biology: |
Occurs in inshore and offshore reefs from less than 20 m to more than 400 m depths. Apparently forms aggregations in open bottom areas and is very abundant in the South China Sea and Andaman Sea. Marketed fresh, whole. Sound production has been studied in this species. Also found under ledges or hovering next to coral heads during day (Ref 90102). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 10 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
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