Merou Fraise

Characterized by pinkish red to pale reddish orange color; mottling of darker red to brownish red; median fins with narrow blue marginal stripe; body scales ctenoid, cycloid scales ventroanteriorly on abdomen; greatest depth of body 2.7-3.2 in SL; rounded caudal fin; pelvic fins 1.9-2.2 in head length (Ref. 90102); eyes large, diameter about twice the depth of the preorbital; interorbital area flat; rounded preopercle, very finely serrate, shallow notch, fleshy lower edge; smooth or with serrae subopercle and interopercle; scaly maxilla, reaching to or well beyond vertical at rear edge of eye (Ref. 089707).

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 14 - 16; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 9 - 10

Found inshore (Ref. 75154). Perhaps the most common grouper on Indo-Pacific coral reefs found below 40 m. The species is only known from insular localities except those collected from Pinda, Mozambique. Known from depths of 10-108 m. The small size (

Perhaps the most common grouper on Indo-Pacific coral reefs found below 40 m. The species is only known from insular localities except those collected from Pinda, Mozambique. Feeds on crabs and other crustaceans (Ref. 89972). The small size (

fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; price category: very high; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family

分布於印度-太平洋之熱帶及亞熱帶海域。西起非洲東岸，東至法屬玻里尼亞，北自日本南部，南迄澳洲大堡礁。台灣東部、南部、澎湖及蘭嶼等沿岸均有產。

食用魚，一般以一支釣、魚槍或魚籠捕獲。煮湯是極佳的作法，肉質好，味道美。

體長橢圓形，側扁，標準體長為體高之2.75-3.2倍。頭背部幾乎斜直；眶間區平坦或微凹陷。眼小，短於吻長。口大；上頜稍能活動，可向前伸出，末端延伸之眼後之下方；上下頜前端具小犬齒，下頜內側齒尖銳，排列不規則，可向內倒狀；鋤骨和腭骨具絨毛狀齒。前鰓蓋圓形，幼魚後緣略鋸齒狀，成魚則平滑；下鰓蓋及間鰓蓋後緣平滑。體被細小櫛鱗；側線鱗孔數47-52；縱列鱗數87-100。背鰭連續，有硬棘IX枚，軟條15-16；臀鰭硬棘III枚，軟條9；腹鰭腹位，末端不及肛門開口；胸鰭長於腹鰭，圓形，中央之鰭條長於上下方之鰭條；尾鰭圓形。體一致為亮紅色，無任何小點散在，但有時散在一些紅褐色斑駁；各鰭亦一致為亮紅色；尾鰭後緣藍白色，逐漸轉為上下葉內緣具藍紋；有時背鰭及臀鰭軟條部具藍緣。

一般棲息於水深40公尺以下之礁石區。主要以魚類為食。

Perhaps the most common grouper on Indo-Pacific coral reefs found below 40 m. Apparently, nothing is known of the biology of this species. The species is only known from insular localities except those collected from Pinda, Mozambique.