Whitecheek monocle bream

📖 Overview

Occurs over mud bottoms near reefs or in open sand areas in turbid waters and usually observed underwater solitary or in pairs .

🔬 Taxonomy

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: head is scaly except for subopercle which is naked with numerous small pores; scales on top of the head reaching forward to between the anterior nostrils and snout tip; lower margin of the eye tangent to a line from snout tip to upper pectoral-fin base; suborbital with a large retrorse spine (a small antrorse spine may also be present on third infraorbital, immediately above suborbital spine); posterior margin of the preopercle is rugose, bearing one or two rows of short blunt spines along its length; second anal-fin spine is longer and more robust than first or third anal-fin spines. Colouration: most body scales, except for breast and caudal peduncle, with greenish yellow spot (spots darker in live fish); caudal peduncle often yellowish; with a broad white bar from nape onto operculum; suborbital with obscure, rectangular, white patch; white band beneath lateral line never present; the upper limb of opercular margin blackish, while lower limb reddish orange; upper base of pectoral fin with a small wedge-shaped dark spot; fins are yellow .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Whitecheek monocle bream is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

🥚 Reproduction

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 45 m . Tropical south to South Africa (KwaZulu-Natal) and Madagascar, eastwards throughout the Arabian Sea.

🌿 Ecology

📐 Morphometrics

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

🐠 Related Species

🔍 Similar Species

👥 Community & Contribute