Lutjanus malabaricus, Bloch and Schneider 1801
Not evaluated
Harmless to human
Body relatively deep (greatest depth 2.2 to 2.8 times in standard length). Dorsal profile of head steeply sloped; snout profile straight or slightly concave; preorbital bone much broader than eye diameter; preopercular notch and knob poorly developed; vomerine tooth patch crescentic or traingular, without a medial posterior extension; tongue smooth, without teeth; gill rakers on lower limb of first arch (including rudiments) 12 to 14, total rakers on first arch 18 to 20. posterior profile of dorsal and anal fins slightly rounded to angular; caudal fin truncate. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line.
Shoaling, Bottom Dwelling
This species has been frequently misidentified as Lutjanus sanguineus
Dorsal fin with 11 spines and 12 to 14 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 8 or 9 soft rays; pectoral fins with 16 or 17 rays; back and sides red or red-orange, lighter on lower parts; fins reddish; juveniles with a broad, oblique band of brown or black from upper jaw to beginning of dorsal fin, and a prominent black band across caudal peduncle with a pearly-white anterior border; young also with a series of narrow reddish horizontal lines (sometimes absent) on sides. Black saddle behind dorsal fin. Head profile is concave in front of eye.
Max size 100 cm, common size 50 cm. Max reported weight 7.91 kg
They tend to be associated with sponge and gorgonian-dominated habitats on the North West Shelf.
Widespread in the Indo-West Pacific from the Fiji Islands to the Arabian Sea and Persian Gulf, and from Australia to southern Japan.
Inhabits both coastal and offshore reefs. Depth range from about 12 to 100 m.
Max 31 years
Age at first maturity will be 3.3 years. Dioecious with external fertilization. Non guarders. Fecundity varies from 5,000,000- 7,000,000
Mass mortality of L. malabaricus due to bloom of Hemidiscus hardmannianus (Bacillariophyceae) was observed at Parangipettai (Tamilnadu state), East coast of india.
Marketed fresh and frozen
Sparus malabaricus Schneider (in Bloch & Schneider), 1801, Syst,Ichth.:278 (Coromandel).
From Talwar and Kacker, 1984
Logitudinal rows of sclaes above lateral line appear to rise obliquely to dorsal profile, those in front of and below anterior part of spinous dorsal fin sometimes parallel to lateral line....
Scales on head begining behind eyes, temporal region naked or nearly so.....
Longitudinal rows of scales below lateral line appear to rise obliquely to dorsal profile, sometimes horizontal anteriorly.....
Anal fin with 8 or 9 soft rays, no dark transverse bands or a band on head only......
Dorsal fin with 11 or 12 spines, preopercular notch shallow or inconspicuous......
Dorsal fin with 11 spines.....
Interorbital width broader, 3.0 to 3.7 times in head length, head profile convex in adults, preopercular notch shallow....
Nekton, Fishes and Benthic crusteceans
Caught mainly with handlines, bottom longlines, bottom trawls and bottom set gill net.