Golden-Lined Snapper

Appearance

Max length : 30.0 cm. Dorsal spines (total): 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13-14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body moderately deep; greatest depth 2.4-2.6 in SL; preopercular notch and knob well developed; vomerine tooth patch crescentic, without medial posterior extension; gill rakers of first gill arch 6-7 + 13-15 = 20-23; caudal fin emarginate; scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Colour generally grey to pinksh, silvery ventrally; a series of 10-12 faint yellow stripes on side; some specimens with a black spot, eye size or smaller, below anterior part of soft dorsal fin at level of lateral line; spinous dorsal fin whitish with a yellow margin; median fins yellowish, although pelvic fins sometimes white; axil of pectoral fins brown on dorsal portion.

Naming

Also called Yellow-Lined Snapper.

Distribution

Indo-West Pacific: Maldives; southern Japan to Indonesia and northern Australia, eastward to Samoa and Tonga.

Status

Least Concern.

Behavior

Swim well above the surface of the reef in aggregations, consisting of several hundred individuals.

Habitat

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 8 - 50 m. Steep coastal slopes and outer reefs.

Food

Feeds on fishes, shrimps, crabs, other crustaceans, cephalopods, and some planktonic items.

Uses

Caught mainly with handlines and bottom longlines, and marketed fresh.