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| fishes text index | photo index |
| Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes > Family Haemulidae |
| Brown
sweetlips Plectorhinchus gibbosus Family Haemulidae updated Oct 2019 Where seen? These brown juveniles are sometimes seen on many of our shores, among seagrasses and near coral rubble. Often it is seen 'drifting' like dead leaves. Elsewhere it is found in shallow coastal waters, around reefs and in estuaries; also mangroves and occasionally freshwater. Features: To about 70cm, those seen on the intertidal at low tide range from tiny ones around 2cm, to larger ones about 12cm. Juveniles are brownish with a transparent tail fin, so at first glance, it appears to have no tail. Adults are uniformly dark grey to brownish or blackish. Lips swollen and thick especially in adults. May be mistaken for the Tripletail and juvenile Sickletfish. |
 Same fish rapidly changing ... Labrador, Oct 04 |
 ..colour and patterns. |
 Tanah Merah, Aug 09 |
| Make like a dead leaf: It can change colour
rapidly from pale patterns to dark. Often seen in pairs or alone in
shallow waters at low tide near the mid-water mark. Juveniles drift
with the moving water mimicking floating leaves and flotsam, sometimes
even tilting sideways to appear more leaf-like. . What does it eat? It eats small bottom-dwelling animals. Human uses: This fish is considered excellent to eat and is harvested by handline and spear. |
| Brown sweetlips on Singapore shores |
On wildsingapore
flickr
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| Other sightings on Singapore shores |
 Pulau Pawai, Dec 09 Photo shared by Ivan Kwan on flickr. |
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