Emperors
emperors
Orangestriped Emperor
Lethrinus obsoletus
About
The orangestriped emperor is a common sight over lagoon sand and seagrass, usually seen around 30 cm long, though it can grow to twice that.
Also known as: orange-striped emperor
- Length
- 30 cm · max 60 cm
- Depth
- up to 30 m
How to tell it apart
Emperors on the same reef can look similar in shape and tan colouring. This one's lower flank stripe, running orange-yellow along its length, paired with the dark patch on the rear edge of the gill cover, is the combination to check.
Appearance
The body is light tan to olive-brown, paler underneath, with an orange-yellow stripe running along the lower flank from the pectoral fin back to the base of the tail, and two fainter orange-yellow stripes above it. The head shows broad, faint light and dark bands, sometimes with small white spots below the eye, and the back edge of the gill cover is dark brown. The fins are whitish to yellowish-brown and can be blotched.
Habitat
It lives over seagrass beds, sand and rubble in lagoons and on reefs, down to about 30 metres, alone or in small groups. Young fish stay in seagrass beds and move onto reefs as they grow.
Did you know?
Its scientific species name, obsoletus, means "worn out" or "decayed", likely a nod to the fish's muted, faded-looking body colour.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
