Yellow-edged lyretail
| Yellow-edged lyretail | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Serranidae |
| Subfamily: | Epinephelinae |
| Genus: | Variola |
| Species: | V. louti |
| Binomial name | |
| Variola louti Forsskål, 1775 | |
Yellow-edged lyretail is the common name for the species Variola louti. It is also commonly known as the lyretail grouper or the caramel cod.
Range
The Yellow-edged lyretail is found from the Red Sea to South Africa and the Pitcairn Islands, as far as southern Japan and Australia.[1]
Description
This fish reaches up to 81cm in length and 12kg in weight. It is distinguished by its lunate tail with a yellow-edged margin. As juveniles they resemble the goatfishes Parupeneus forsskali or Parupeneus macronema and may shadow them as they feed.[2]
Diet
Its diet is mainly of fishes, but also eats crabs, shrimps and stomatopods.[1]
Habitat
Lagoons, channels and seaward reefs, from 3m to 250m in depth.
Hazards
There have been reports of ciguatera poisoning,[3] and this has led to the fish being banned from sale in Mauritius.[1]
Dispersion
Andaman Sea
Utilization
Fishery: Small Trading ; Game : Angling; Aquarium: Trade
References
- 1 2 3 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2007). "Variola louti" in FishBase. 5 2007 version.
- ↑ Lieske, E. and Myers, R.F. (2004) Coral reef guide; Red Sea London, HarperCollins ISBN 0-00-715986-2
- ↑ Schoelinck, C., Hinsinger, D. D., Dettaï, A., Cruaud, C. & Justine, J.-L. 2014: A phylogenetic re-analysis of groupers with applications for ciguatera fish poisoning. PLoS ONE, 9, e98198. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0098198
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