Bigeye Snapper

Medium-sized fish of moderately deep body. The eyes large; the mouth oblique, with the lower jaw projecting upwards. The body tapers very slightly to beneath the middle of the soft portion of the dorsal fin, and then abruptly to the peduncle. This species is distinguished from P. fitchi by the presence of numerous rusty brown to yellowish spots in the membranes of the dorsal and anal fins, and its less tapered body.Description: Characterized further by the following: soft portion of dorsal fin about equal to spinous portion, rounded posteriorly; rounded caudal fin; well developed preopercular spine, reaching beyond posterior tip of interopercle (Ref. 90102).

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 14; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 13 - 14

Occurs in inshore waters of the continental shelf and continental slope (Ref. 75154).

Occurs in inshore and offshore reefs from less than 20 m to more than 400 m depths. Apparently forms aggregations in open bottom areas and is very abundant in the South China Sea and Andaman Sea. Marketed fresh, whole. Sound production has been studied in this species. Also found under ledges or hovering next to coral heads during day (Ref 90102).

fisheries: commercial

分布於東印度-西太平洋區，西起印尼，東至菲律賓，北至日本南部，南迄澳洲。台灣主要分布於各沿海及澎湖等海域。

本種魚為高經濟價值的魚種，可為底拖網、延繩釣及手釣所獲，漁期全年皆有。肉質細嫩唯魚鱗很難處理，可連皮一起剝除，油炸、煮味噌或薑絲湯皆適宜。

體略高，側扁，呈長卵圓形；體最高處位於背鰭第VI棘附近。眼特大，瞳孔大半位於體中線下方。吻短。口裂大，近乎垂直；下頜突出，頜骨、鋤骨和腭骨均具齒。前鰓骨後緣及下緣具鋸齒並具有一枚後向之長強棘。頭及體部皆被有粗糙堅實不易脫落之櫛鱗；側線完全，側線鱗孔數72-82。背鰭單一，不具深缺，具硬棘X棘，軟條12-14；臀鰭與背鰭幾相對，具硬棘III，軟條13-14；背鰭及臀鰭後端圓形；胸鰭短小；腹鰭中長，短於頭長；尾鰭截形或中央略突出。體背呈鮮桃紅色，愈近腹部顏色漸漸變淡，腹部呈銀白色；背鰭、腹鰭和臀鰭均有明顯之黃色斑點，尾鰭一般則無。

主要棲息於沿、近海礁區20-400公尺深的水域。肉食性，主要以甲殼類及小魚等為主食。

Known from seamounts and knolls