Kyphosus vaigiensis (Quoy & Gaimard 1825)

This species is distinguished by the following characters: elongate and oval-shaped body; scale rows horizontally along the body appear alternately golden and bluish; metallic blue dorsally and white ventrally; caudal fin moderately emarginated; very low dorsal and anal fins; D X-XI,13-15; A III, 12-14; pectoral fin 17-20: teeth incisor-shaped; scales on interorbital region; external side of first gill arch with high number of gill rakers on lower limb 16-23, upper limb 5-10; total lateral line scale rows 63-80, 52-63 has pores; longitudinal scale rows 56-70; vertebrae: precaudal 10, caudal 16; pterygiophores, anal 13-14, dorsal 22-24. Colour of body silvery with a bluish shine, with golden horizontal lines along the body (around 23-29), dorsal lines above lateral line curved along the lateral line;; golden streak beneath eye from snout to behind anterior edge of eye; fins are grey or slightly darker grey than body colour (Ref. 95491).

Oviparous (Ref. 101771).

Oceanodromous. Migrating within oceans typically between spawning and different feeding areas, as tunas do. Migrations should be cyclical and predictable and cover more than 100 km.

Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 15; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 12 - 14; Vertebrae: 26

Aggregate over hard, algal coated bottoms of exposed surf-swept outer reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs to a depth of at least 24 m. Found in exposed areas around rocky reefs (Ref. 559). Young (up to 5 cm) found among floating seaweeds; feeding on small crustaceans (Ref. 559). Adults are carnivorous during summer and autumn but feed on Endarachne binghamiae during winter (Ref. 559).

Aggregate over hard, algal coated bottoms of exposed surf-swept outer reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefs to a depth of at least 24 m. Found in exposed areas around rocky reefs (Ref. 559); adults usually close to the shore and the coastline, while juveniles are associated with flotsam and can be encountered in the open ocean close to the surface (Ref. 95491). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Usually in groups (Ref. 90102). Young (up to 5 cm) found among floating seaweed; feeding on small crustaceans (Ref. 559). Adults are carnivorous during summer and autumn but feed on Endarachne binghamiae during winter (Ref. 559). Good food fish (Ref. 559). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 30573.

fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes