Vosmaer's monocle bream
📖 Overview
Benthic in inshore turbid or weedy waters, usually on sand or mud or rubble bottoms close to reefs, in depths to about 30 m , as well as offshore areas . Seen solitary, but may school deep .
🔬 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 or just in front of anterior nostrils; lower margin of eye tangent to or just above a line from snout tip to upper pectoral-fin base; suborbital (second infraorbital) with a large retrorse spine, a small antrorse spine on third infraorbital immediately above suborbital spine; posterior margin of preopercle serrate or denticulate, the lower edge smooth; second anal-fin spine longer and more robust than first or third anal-fin spines. Colouration: most body scales, except for caudal peduncle, with a black spot; caudal peduncle white; a white band is usually present beneath the lateral line, from origin of lateral line to below posterior part of dorsal fin; a broad white bar from the nape onto operculum, and suborbital with distinctive white patch; upper limb of the opercular margin edged brown, and lower limb edged reddish orange; no wedge-shaped dark spot on the upper base of pectoral fin (sometimes small dark spot is present); dorsal, anal and pelvic fins are crimson or orangered; juveniles and smaller subadults without white bar on nape and with dark-edged white band from behind eye to upper part of caudal peduncle .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Vosmaer's monocle bream is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 30 m . Tropical east African coast, or islands of the Western Indian Ocean); from Pakistan, western India, Sri Lanka; Bay of Bengal and Andaman to western Indonesia, East Malaysia and Brunei.
🌿 Ecology
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Vosmaer's monocle bream is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 19 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 144 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Vosmaer's monocle bream has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Vosmaer's Monocle Bream · Whitecheek monocle bream · whitecheek monocle-bream · whitecheeked monocle-bream |
| 🇫🇷French | Scolopsis à joues blanches |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Taiwantamagashira · タイワンタマガシラ |
Scientific Synonyms
| Scientific Name | Author | Year | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anthias japonicus | Bloch | 1793 | Synonym |
| Anthias vosmeri | Bloch | 1792 | Synonym |
| Pomacentrus enneadactylus | Lacepède | 1802 | Synonym |
| Pomacentrus enneodactylus | Lacepède | 1802 | Synonym |
| Scolopsides collaris | Günther | 1859 | Synonym |
| Scolopsides kate | Cuvier | 1829 | Synonym |
| Scolopsides kurita | Cuvier | 1829 | Synonym |
| Scolopsides pomotis | Richardson | 1846 | Synonym |
| Scolopsides rupellii | Cuvier | 1830 | Synonym |
| Scolopsides torquatus | Cuvier | 1830 | Synonym |
| Scolopsis argyrosomus | Kuhl & Van Hasselt | 1830 | Synonym |
| Scolopsis japonica | Bloch | 1793 | Synonym |
| Scolopsis kurite | Rüppell | 1828 | Synonym |
| Scolopsis torquata | Cuvier | 1830 | Synonym |
| Scolopsis vosmaeri | Bloch | 1792 | Synonym |
🔍 Similar Species
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 16 records indexed .
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