Yellow-edged lyretail
| Yellow-edged lyretail | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Serranidae |
| Subfamily: | Epinephelinae |
| Genus: | Variola |
| Species: | V. louti
|
| Binomial name | |
| Variola louti Forsskål, 1775
| |
The yellow-edged lyretail (Variola louti) is a species of grouper, also 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 81 cm in length and 12 kg 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]
Utilization
Fishery: Small Trading ; Game : Angling; Aquarium: Trade
References
- ^ a b c Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Variola louti". FishBase. May 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
External links
- Photos of Yellow-edged lyretail on Sealife Collection
