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| fishes text index | photo index |
| Phylum Chordata > Subphylum Vertebrate > fishes |
| Sweetlips Family Haemulidae updated Nov 11 Where seen? These thick-lipped fishes are sometimes seen on some of our shores. They usually hide during the day and are more active at night. What are sweetlips? Sweetlips belong to Family Haemulidae. According to FishBase: the family comprises of 17 genera and 150 species. They are found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Members of the family also called grunts or grunters. Members that belong to the genus Plectorhinchus are called sweetlips because of their thick lips. Features: Most sweetlips go through elaborate colour changes as they mature. The juveniles are often boldly spotted or striped, growing up to become adults that are totally different; usually plain with small spots or many thin lines. Some young sweetlips like the Harlequin sweetlips typically swim by 'wagging' their large tails resulting in a twisting motion. What do they eat? Young fishes eat plankton but grow up to be carnivorous adults, feeding on small fishes and small animals living on on the sea bottom. These fishes have teeth not only in the jaws but also in their throats. Human uses: Some species are considered valuable seafoood. They are caught by spear, line and nets; and marketed fresh or salted. Status and threats: None of our sweetlips are listed among the threatened animals of Singapore. However, like other creatures of the intertidal zone, they are affected by human activities such as reclamation and pollution. Over-collection can also have an impact on local populations. |
| Family
Haemulidae recorded for Singapore from Wee Y.C. and Peter K. L. Ng. 1994. A First Look at Biodiversity in Singapore. *Lim, Kelvin K. P. & Jeffrey K. Y. Low, 1998. A Guide to the Common Marine Fishes of Singapore. in red are those listed among the threatened animals of Singapore from Ng, P. K. L. & Y. C. Wee, 1994. The Singapore Red Data Book: Threatened Plants and Animals of Singapore.
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Periplus Editions. 292 pp.|
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