Yellowlip emperor (Lethrinus xanthochilus)

Scientific name: Lethrinus xanthochilus Klunzinger, 1870

The Yellowlip emperor (Lethrinus xanthochilus) is a marine fish of the family Lethrinidae. Native range: Indo-Pacific, Red Sea, East Africa and the central Indian Ocean to the Marquesas Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Body is yellowish gray with scattered irregular dark spots; lips yellowish, the upper lip more intense; a red spot at upper base of the pectoral fin. The fins are bluish grey and mottled, the bases of the fins are lighter and the edges of the dorsal and caudal fins are reddish.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name: Lethrinus xanthochilus
Family: Lethrinidae (Emperors or scavengers)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length: 70.0
Common length: 59.0
Depth range: 150 m (492 ft)
Environment: Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range ? - 150 m
Climate: Tropical
Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Red Sea, East Africa and the central Indian Ocean to the Marquesas Islands, north to the Ryukyu Islands.
Conservation status (IUCN): Not Evaluated
Threat to humans: Harmless
Uses: Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
Resilience: Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (K=0.14-0.30)

Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Last updated 27 September 2026