Scientific Name
Lethrinus laticaudis

Common Name
Grass emperor

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Cheek without scales; the inner base of pectoral fins densely covered with scales. Body is tan, brown or yellow with scattered irregular blotches; head brown or yellow with blue dots on cheeks and short blue stripes radiating in front and behind the eye, sometimes a number of blue cross stripes between the eyes; fines pale or yellow, the vertical fins are mottled.

Classification

Classified By

Alleyne & Macleay, 1877

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Emperors or scavengers (Lethrinidae)

Distribution

Region

Western Pacific

Distribution

Western Pacific: southern Indonesia, northern Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. There has been considerable confusion in the use of names for this species. In recent literature it is referred to as Lethrinus fraenatus or Lethrinus fletus. The former name is clearly a junior synonym of Lethrinus nebulosus however and the latter a junior synonym of Lethrinus laticaudis.

Range

3°S - 23°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

Unknown m

Depth To - meters

Unknown m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; brackish; reef-associated; non-migratory

Trophic Level

4.46 s.e. 0.79 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

True

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

56.0 cm

Common Length

35.0 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

Moderate vulnerability (39 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated