Button Snapper

Snout somewhat pointed. Eye large. Preorbital bone narrow, its width much less than eye diameter. Preopercular notch and knob well developed. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Generally pink or reddish, white or silvery below. Usually a series of ten to twelve stripes is on the side. Some specimens have black spot on the back below the anterior part of the soft dorsal fin. Description: Head and breast dusky reddish brown, dorsal reddish or pink to yellowish grey with black spot (slightly smaller than eye) below middle of dorsal fin, ventral silvery white or yellow; fins yellow, pectoral with spot small brown at base of uppermost pectoral fin rays. Snout somewhat pointed. Eye large. Preorbital bone narrow, its width much less than eye diameter. Preopercular notch and knob well developed. Body depth 2.4-2.6 in SL. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. (Ref. 469, 90102)

Dorsal spines (total): 10 - 11; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 14; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 8

Often seen in schools of up to about 30 to 40 individuals (Ref. 55).

Adults inhabit coral reefs. Often seen in schools near outcrops or drop-offs, often with other species (Ref. 9710), of up to about 30 to 40 individuals. Small juveniles on shallow algae reef, often near freshwater run-offs (Ref. 48635). Feed on fishes, shrimps, crabs, other crustaceans, cephalopods and some planktonic items.

fisheries: minor commercial; price category: high; price reliability: questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this genus

分布於西太平洋，由蘇門達臘到薩摩亞，北可至南日本。台灣主要分布在北部、東部及南部等海域。

常見之食用魚，通常以一支釣、流刺網等漁法捕獲。一般皆以煎食或煮湯食之。

體長橢圓形，背緣呈弧狀彎曲。兩眼間隔平坦。前鰓蓋缺刻顯著。鰓耙數20-23。上下頜兩側具尖齒，外列齒較大；上頜前端具犬齒數顆；下頜前端則為排列疏鬆之圓錐狀齒；鋤骨齒帶三角形，其後方沒有突出部；腭骨亦具絨毛狀齒；舌面無齒。體被中大櫛鱗，頰部及鰓蓋具多列鱗；背鰭、臀鰭和尾鰭基部大部分亦被細鱗；側線上方的鱗片斜向後背緣排列，下方的鱗片則與體軸平行。背鰭軟硬鰭條部間無明顯深刻；臀鰭基底短而與背鰭軟條部相對；背鰭硬棘X-XI，軟條13-14；臀鰭硬棘III，軟條8；胸鰭長，末端達臀鰭起點；尾鰭叉形。體背部為橘紅色，腹部淡黃色，體側另有9-10條與體軸平行之金黃色縱帶。各鰭黃色，背鰭軟條部及尾鰭具暗色緣。

棲息於珊瑚礁區。經常可見到本種魚與其他笛鯛聚集成約30-40隻的群體巡游於礁體的上緣水層。以魚類、甲殼類及大型浮游動物為食。