African Striped Grunt
Parapristipoma octolineatum
Oriental Sweetlips
Plectorhinchus vittatus
About
Named for its thick, swollen lips, this bold black-and-white striped fish spends its days resting quietly near reef structure before feeding at night.
Also known as: oriental blubber-lips
- Depth
- up to 25 m
How to tell it apart
At every life stage, the one constant feature is the thick, fleshy, swollen lips that give this fish its name - useful because its stripe pattern changes dramatically as it grows.
Appearance
Adults are pale grey, fading to white on the belly, marked with alternating black and white stripes that are broader on the upper body. The fins, snout, and forehead are yellow, and the dorsal, anal, and tail fins carry dark spots. The lips are fleshy and grow noticeably more swollen as the fish ages.
Habitat
It lives on shallow coastal coral reefs, in lagoons, and on seaward reefs, generally between 2 and 25 m. It is usually found alone or in small groups, and juveniles shelter in tide pools and seagrass beds close to shore.
Did you know?
Young sweetlips look almost nothing like the striped adults: juveniles wear solid black blotches and spots that only gradually break apart into the bold stripe pattern as the fish matures.
Log it in Into the Blue
Describe what you saw and we name it, then keep every species you find in your Oceandex.
