Family : Pempheridae (Sweepers)
Order : Perciformes  (perch-likes)
Class : Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Fishbase Name : Vanikoro sweeper
Fish Name : Pempheris vanicolensis
Max size : 20.0 cm TL (male/unsexed; Ref. 2272)
Environment : reef-associated
Climate : tropical
Global Importance :
Resilience: High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)Distribution : Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea to Samoa, north to the Philippines. Recently invaded the eastern Mediterranean waters (Ref. 32671).
Diagnosis : Dorsal spines (total): 6-6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 31-43. Usually with greenish shine over the back and most of the head. Anal fin with distinctly black margin, black dorsal fin tip, and pectoral fins yellow without black basal spot (Ref. 48636).
Biology : Inhabits shallow rocky and coral reefs (Ref. 9710). Adults occur in large groups that stay in caves and in the shadows of coral overhangs during daytime. At night, they forage on planktonic organisms in open waters, returning to their caverns in the reefs shortly before sunrise. Post-larval fish form age-related groups of juvenile forms which, although occurring together with other groups in the same habitat, preserve their bond during the day, even following night migrations to different habitats (Ref. 32801)
Threatened : Dangerous:  
Dangerous : harmless
Coordinator :
Main Ref : Kailola, P.J.. 1987. (Ref. 6192)

India country information
Common Names : Vanikoro-sweeper
Status : native
Salinity : marine
Uses : no uses