Yellow-edged lyretail

The yellow-edged lyretail (Variola louti) also known as the yellowedge coronation trout, fairy cod, lunar tail rock cod, lunartailed cod, lyre-tail cod or moontail seabass,, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region and is more common than the congeneric white-edged lyretail.

Habitat

The yellow-edged lyretail is normally observed in clear-water areas at depths greater than 15 metres (49 ft) but less than 350 metres (1,150 ft), showing a preference for islands and offshore reefs over continental shores. It feeds mostly on fishes, as well as on crabs, shrimps and stomatopods. The females attain sexual maturity at a standard length of 33 centimetres (13 in). They have been recorded forming spawning aggregations off Aceh in Sumatra. This species is yet to be confirmed as a protogynous hermaphrodite. Spawning takes place between December and February.

Distribution

The yellow-edged lyretail has an Indo-Pacific distribution and is found from the east coast of Africa where it occurs from Durban in South Africa to the Red Sea through the tropical Indian Ocean east into the Pacific Ocean where it occurs as far north as southern Japan, south to Australia and east to the Pitcairn Islands. In Australia it is found from Shark Bay in Western Australia to Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea and from Cape York in Queensland south to Sydney in New South Wales Frederick Reefs and Coringa-Herald National Nature Reserve in the Coral Sea, as well as at Middleton and Elizabeth Reefs and Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea.

Recently it has been recorded twice (2018, 2019) in the eastern Mediterranean Sea off Cyprus, due either to aquarium release or introduction from the Red Sea through the Suez Canal.