Blubberlip Snapper

This species is distinguished by the following characters: body very deep, greatest depth 2.1-2.4 in SL; lips greatly thickened in adults; preopercular notch and knob moderately developed; vomerine tooth patch crescentic, without a medial posterior extension; tongue smooth, no teeth; gill rakers of first gill arch 6 + 11-12 =17-18; caudal fin truncate or slightly emarginate. Colour generally brown with a reddish tinge; each scale on side with a palebrown border and 2-3 small bluish white spots in central portion; head with numerous undulating blue lines; lips tan; fins largely yellowish to dusky grey-brown; juveniles with a series of 3-8 brown bars on sides and a chalky white spot, with a broad blackish margin, present below anterior soft dorsal-fin rays at level of lateral line, preceded by similar-sized black spot on middle of side (Ref. 9821, 90102).Description: Dorsal profile of head steeply sloped, preorbital bone broad, about twice the eye diameter; scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line (Ref. 9821).

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 16; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 8

Occurs in inshore waters of the continental shelf (Ref. 75154). Feeds on fish, cephalopods and benthic invertebrates (Ref. 55).

Occasionally encountered in coral reefs or shallow inshore flats (Ref. 30573). Found singly or in small groups (up to 15 to 20 individuals). Adults on deep coastal slopes; juveniles on shallow algae-reef flats, often near freshwater run-offs (Ref. 48635). Feed on fishes, cephalopods and benthic crustaceans (Ref. 30573). An excellent food fish. In Hong Kong live fish markets (Ref. 27253). Caught with handlines, traps, and gill nets, occasionally trawled; important to artisanal fisheries and marketed mostly fresh (Ref. 9821). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 57178.

fisheries: commercial; aquaculture: commercial; gamefish: yes