Many-Spotted Sweetlips

TAXONOMY

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Actinopterygii

Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)

Family: Haemulidae (Grunts) bottom-feeding predators, named for their ability to produce sound by grinding their teeth.

 

Genus/species Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides

 

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Juveniles brown with large white blotches. Becomes more spotted with age, reversing from white to black spotted in the process. Deeper bodies compared to most others in the genus

 

Length is up to 72 cm (29 inches) and weight to 7,000 g (15.5 pounds)

 

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-West Pacific oceans. Inhabits coral-rich areas of clear lagoon and seaward reefs. 1 (3 feet) - 30 m (98 feet).

 

DIET IN THE WILD: Carnivore. Crustaceans, mollusks, and fishes at night.

 

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding

 

IUCN RED LIST Not Evaluated

 

References

 

California Academy of Sciences Philippine coral reef 2016

 

Wordpress Shortlink wp.me/p1DZ4b-nP

 

fishbase fishbase.org/summary/Plectorhinchus-chaetodonoides.html

 

flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/sets/72157625992053826/

 

 

8-7-12, 11-13-13 6-8-16

Done