Oriental Sweetlips, Plectorhinchus vittatus (Linnaeus 1758)


Other Names: Oriental Blubber-lips

An Oriental Sweetlips, Plectorhinchus vittatus, at Matamanoa, Fiji. Source: Paddy Ryan / http://www.ryanphotographic.com/. License: All rights reserved

Summary:
A pale greyish sweetlips fading to white below with alternating black and white stripes (black stripes usually wider above), yellow fins, snout and forehead, and blackish spots on the dorsal, anal and caudal fins. Subadults have broad stripes on the head, body and fins. Juveniles have a yellow head, irregular broad black stripes on head and body.

Cite this page as:
Dianne J. Bray, Plectorhinchus vittatus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/459

Oriental Sweetlips, Plectorhinchus vittatus (Linnaeus 1758)

More Info


Distribution

Carnarvon (24°52'S) to Rosemary Island (20°29'S) and Rowley Shoals (17°30'S), WA, also Ashmore Reef, Timor Sea and Christmas Island. Elsewhere the species is widespread in the tropical, Indo-west-central Pacific. Often solitary or seen resting in small groups on coastal reefs, lagoons and seawards reefs during the day. 

Features

Meristic features: Dorsal fin XII-XIII, 17-19; Anal fin III, 7-8; Pectoral fin 17-18; Gill rakers 9-11 + 19-24; Lateral line scales 57-65.
Body depth (adult) 2.6-2.9 in SL; caudal fin of adults truncate, rounded in juveniles.

Feeding

Nocturnal carnivore.

Species Citation

Perca vittata Linnaeus, 1758, Systema Naturae  1: 291. No locality.

Author

Dianne J. Bray

Oriental Sweetlips, Plectorhinchus vittatus (Linnaeus 1758)

References


Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls.

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Allen, G.R., Steene, R.C. & Orchard, M. 2007. Fishes of Christmas Island. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 2 edn, 284 pp.

Fischer, W. & Bianchi, G. (eds) 1984. FAO Species Identification Sheets for Fishery Purposes. Western Indian Ocean. Fishing area 51. Rome : FAO Vol. 2.

Gloerfelt-Tarp, T. & Kailola, P.J. 1984. Trawled Fishes of Southern Indonesia and Northwest Australia. Jakarta : Dir. Gen. Fish. (Indonesia), German Tech. Coop., Aust. Dev. Ass. Bur. 406 pp.

Grant, E.M. 1991. Fishes of Australia. Brisbane : EM Grant Pty Ltd 480 pp.

Hutchins, J.B. 2001. Biodiversity of shallow reef fish assemblages in Western Australia using a rapid censusing technique. Records of the Western Australian Museum 20: 247-270.

Linnaeus, C. 1758. Systema Naturae per Regna tria Naturae, secundem Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentis, Synonymis, Locis. Tom.1 Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae : Laurentii Salvii 824 pp.

McKay, R.J. 2001. Haemulidae. pp. 2961-2989 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, V.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 5 2791-3379 pp.

Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. A comprehensive guide to the coral reef fishes of Micronesia. Guam : Coral Graphics vi 330 pp. 192 pls.

Randall, J.E. 2005. Reef and shore fishes of the South Pacific. New Caledonia to Tahiti and the Pitcairn Islands. Honolulu : University of Hawaii Press 707 pp.

Randall, J.E. & Johnson, J.W. 2000. Perca lineata and P. vittata established as valid species of Plectorhinchus (Perciformes: Haemulidae). Memoirs of the Queensland Museum 45(2): 477-482 figs 1-4

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37350015

Depth:2-25 m

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:60 cm TL

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CAAB distribution map