Scolopsis margaritifera (Cuvier, 1830)
Pearly monocle bream
Scolopsis margaritifera
photo by Cook, D.C.

 Family:  Nemipteridae (Threadfin breams, Whiptail breams)
 Max. size:  28 cm TL (male/unsexed)
 Environment:  reef-associated; depth range 2 - 25 m
 Distribution:  Western Pacific: South China Sea to Vanuatu and northwestern Australia.
 Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-9; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 7-7. Head scales reaching to or almost to posterior nostrils. Lower limb of preopercle scaly. Antrorse (forward-directed) suborbital spine absent. Pelvic fins long, reaching almost to or beyond level of origin of anal fin. Color: Upper body olive, white below. 2 pearly white stripes on snout in front of eyes. Lower lobe of caudal fin reddish. Juveniles white, with a narrow black stripe along back (only on some specimens) and black midlateral stripe. Some with a yellowish ventral surface. Presence of a black spot between first four dorsal spines. Some color variation between Indian and Pacific populations: juveniles lack yellow stripe in the Indian Ocean population and adults show a contrasting dark back compared to Pacific form (Ref. 48635).
 Biology:  Found on sand bottoms close to reefs. Feed on crustaceans, polychaete worms, mollusks and small fishes (Ref. 3810, 9785). Juveniles may be Batesian mimics of poison-fang blennies, Meiacanthus spp. (M. geminatus and M. vittatus) (Ref. 37816, 90102).
 IUCN Red List Status:   (Ref. 96402)
 Threat to humans:  harmless
 Country info:   
 

 Entered by: Carpenter, Kent E. - 15.06.92
 Modified by: Olisa, Kristine Elaine Paz - 16.04.13
 Checked by: Russell, Barry - 04.10.95

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