Spangled Emperor
Lethrinus nebulosus
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Order
- Spariformes
- Family
- Lethrinidae
- Genus
- Lethrinus
- Species
- Lethrinus nebulosus
The spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) is a large, yellowish to bronze emperor fish with a pale blue spot on most scales and blue lines on its cheeks, giving it a spangled look.
It can reach around 80 cm and feeds on crabs, molluscs, sea urchins and small fish, which it hunts over sand, seagrass and rubble near reefs. It is often seen alone or in small groups and is an important food fish.
The spangled emperor is found across the Indo-West Pacific, including the Philippines, where divers meet it cruising over sand and seagrass close to the reef.