Bigeye Seabream, Monotaxis grandoculis (Forsskål, 1775)
Bigeye Bream, Humpnose Bigeye Bream, Large-eyed Sea Bream
Click to enlarge image
© E. Schlögl
Fast Facts
-
Classification
- Genus
- Monotaxis
- Species
- grandoculis
- Family
- Lethrinidae
- Order
- Perciformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum
- Vertebrata
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Kingdom
- Animalia
-
- Size Range
- The species grows to 60 cm in length.
Introduction
Adult Humpnose Big-eye Bream are bluish-grey above and silvery on the sides. The species occurs in tropical and temperate marine waters of the Indo-West and Central Pacific.
Identification
Adult Humpnose Big-eye Bream are bluish-grey above and silvery on the sides. The fins are reddish-orange and the area around the eye is often yellow. Adults are usually seen without any markings, but can quickly assume four broad blackish bars or saddles on the body. Juveniles have three black saddles separated by white bars on the upper half of the body. They have a prominent black bar through the eye. Juvenile colouration can be seen in individuals up to 30 cm in length.
A Bigeye Seabream at a depth of 18 m, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea, November 1998.
Image: Erik Schlögl.© Erik Schlögl
Habitat
This fish can be found at depths of 1 m to 100 m.
Distribution
The species occurs in tropical and temperate marine waters of the Indo-West and Central Pacific. It occurs from East Africa and the Red Sea, north to Japan, south to Australia and east to the Hawaiian Islands. In Australia the Humpnose Big-eye Bream is known from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Feeding and diet
The Humpnose Big-eye Bream is a nocturnal feeder. Food items include molluscs, brittle stars, sea urchins, crabs, polychaetes, sea squirts and sea cucumbers.
Other behaviours and adaptations
As adults this fish often forms large aggregations of up to 50 individuals, but solitary fish have been observed. Juveniles are usually solitary.
References
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
- Carpenter, K.E. & G.R. Allen, 1989. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 9. Emperor fishes and large-eye breams of the world (family Lethrinidae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of lethrinid species known to date.. FAO Species Synopsis. No. 125(9): Pp. 118.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 362.
- Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 222.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 415.
