Scientific Name
Plectorhinchus picus

Common Name
Painted sweetlip

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 12 - 14; Dorsal soft rays (total): 17-20; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7 - 8. Juveniles under 25 cm black with a few large white blotches. Adults white with numerous small dark spots (Ref. 37816). Changes from bold black and white pattern to a whitish grey with numerous small black spots over most of the upper body and fins. Often confused with P. chaetodonoides, but is more slender and spots are smaller (Ref. 48635).

Classification

Classified By

Cuvier, 1828

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Grunts (Haemulidae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Seychelles to the Society Islands, north to Japan and south to Lord Howe and Rapa Islands. Rare or absent from most of the western Indian Ocean, but common in the Seychelles (Ref. 9710).

Range

32°N - 32°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

3 m

Depth To - meters

50 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 3 - 50 m (Ref. 9710)

Trophic Level

3.85 s.e. 0.61 Based on food items.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

84.0 cm

Common Length

70.0 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; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Moderate to high vulnerability (50 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.18)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Not Evaluated