Family : Lethrinidae (Emperors or scavengers) , subfamily: Lethrininae
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Pink ear emperor
Fish Name : Lethrinus lentjan
Max size : 52.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 1020); max. reported age: 19 years
Environment : reef-associated; non-migratory ; depth range 20 - 90 m
Climate : tropical; 32°N - 25°S
Global Importance : fisheries: highly commercial
Resilience: Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (K=0.17-0.27; tm=2-3.8; tmax=15)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: widespread, from the Red Sea, Arabian (Persian) Gulf, and East Africa to the Ryukyus and Tonga.
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-8. Mouth is slightly protractile; lips thick and fleshy. The inner base of the pectoral fin is either with few scales or naked. Body olive-green above, becoming paler below; each scale on back sometimes with white center. The posterior margin of the opercle and sometimes the base of the pectoral fin is red. The pectoral fin is white, yellow or pinkish; the pelvic and anal fins are white to orange; the dorsal fin is white and orange mottled with a reddish margin; the caudal fin is mottled orange or reddish.
Biology : Inhabits sandy bottoms in coastal areas, deep lagoons and near coral reefs (Ref. 30573). Juveniles and small adults commonly in loose aggregations over seagrass beds, mangrove swamps and shallow sandy areas while adults are generally solitary in deeper waters. Feeds primarily on crustaceans and mollusks but echinoderms, polychaetes and fishes are also consumed in considerable quantities (Ref. 2295). A protogynous hermaphrodite (Ref. 55367)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Carpenter, K.E. and G.R. Allen. 1989. (Ref. 2295)

India country information
Common Names : Pig-face bream, കടു, కరువ, പുള്ളി വെളമീന്, வெளமீன், പുളളിവേളമീന് , வாளமீன் , Bridled Pigface-bream, Kadu, Karua, Pullivelameen, Silver spotted sea bream, Valamin
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses