(Image credit: Ian Shaw)

A pointed mouth with large lips and no scales on the face. The body is silver to a light brownish range with visible scales that have a dark base. The first dorsal fin is orange or red. The base of the pectoral fin is bright red. Other fins are darker colours usually matching the body colour. Some individuals have between 8-12 lightly coloured vertical bands running along the body. A horizontal red line beneath the eye may be present on some fish.

Found in small schools foraging reef edges and sandy areas during the day. At night they move away from the reef and hunt over the sandy substrate with a high level of energy.

Length: Up to 90 cm

Habitat

Coral and limestone reefs during the day to > 100 m. Areas with sandy bottom during the night to 30 m depth

Log it

In New South Wales, log if spotted in Solitary Islands and south
In Western Australia, log if observed in the south-west or off south coast

Related links/info

Species names on the Redmap site are based on the Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota or CAAB (http://www.cmar.csiro.au/caab/). This is updated regularly and lists the approved common name, family, species name and more.

Find further information and images at FISHES OF AUSTRALIA http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/

Allen, G. R. 1999. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South- East Asia. Western Australian Museum, Perth.

Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. Eds. 2001. FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes . The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Volume 5. Bony Fishes Part 3 (Menidae to Pomacentridae). FAO, Rome.