Teleostei (teleosts) >
Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) >
Nemipteridae (Threadfin breams, Whiptail breams)
Etymology: Scolopsis: Name from the Greek masculine noun 'skolos' meaning 'thorn' and suffix '-opsis' (from Greek feminine n. 'opsis' meaning 'aspect', 'appearance') meaning ‘thorny appearance’ presumably referring to 'les dentelures de la préopercule, en ont aussi, et même d'épineuses, aux sous-orbitaires' mentioned by Cuvier (1814) in his designation of the genus. Name ending in -'opsis' are treated as feminine according to ICZN 1999: Article 30.1.2 (Ref. 130620).
More on author: Cuvier.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 5 - 20 m (Ref. 9710). Tropical; 1°S - 23°S, 39°E - 75°E (Ref. 3810)
Western Indian Ocean: including the Seychelles, Chagos Archipelago, Mauritius, Réunion and Madagascar.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 26.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 9710); common length : 17.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3810)
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7. Head scales reaching to between anterior margin of eyes and posterior nostrils. Lower limb of preopercle naked. Antrorse (forward-directed) suborbital spine absent. Pelvic fins long, reaching to or just beyond level of anus. Upper lobe of caudal fin slightly longer than lower lobe in larger specimens. Axillary scale present. Color: Upper body blue or olive green, white below. A yellow stripe from top of snout, through upper part of eye and arching on back to upper part of caudal peduncle. A narrow yellow stripe from top of head running along base of dorsal fin, this stripe disappearing with age. Juveniles blue on upper half of body, white below.
Inhabits sandy bottoms close to coral reefs. Occurs in small groups. Juveniles are solitary (Ref. 9710).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Russell, B.C., 1990. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 12. Nemipterid fishes of the world. (Threadfin breams, whiptail breams, monocle breams, dwarf monocle breams, and coral breams). Family Nemipteridae. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of nemipterid species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(12):149p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 3810)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
Tools
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