Scott & Jeanette Johnson, Kwajalein Unterwater
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Lethrinus ravus Carpenter & Randall, 2003
The bighead snappers are a family of perch relatives that are colloquially referred to as street sweepers, which results from an unfortunate translation of the English term “scavenger” in Grzimek's Animal Life. In English, however, it meant “scavenger”.
Bighead snappers differ from the snappers (Lutjanidae) in their large head with a steeper profile, the large eyes, the teeth and the anatomy of the gill cover.
Lethrinus ravus has been described from localities in the western Pacific. Photographic records also confirm its presence in Western Australia. It occurs together with Lethrinus semicinctus and is morphologically very similar, but differs consistently in the color pattern and the average number of scales in the scale patch.
Lethrinus semicinctus has a dark elongated spot under the soft dorsal fin spanning the lateral line and a cluster of dark scales in front of the base of the pectoral fin. Lethrinus ravus lacks these markings. Lethrinus ravus has black-bordered scales that form rows above the lateral line and are scattered below the lateral line.
The English name "Drab Emperor", which translates roughly as monotonous street sweeper, refers to the less than spectacular "monotonous" appearance of Lethrinus ravus.
The bighead snappers are a family of perch relatives that are colloquially referred to as street sweepers, which results from an unfortunate translation of the English term “scavenger” in Grzimek's Animal Life. In English, however, it meant “scavenger”.
Bighead snappers differ from the snappers (Lutjanidae) in their large head with a steeper profile, the large eyes, the teeth and the anatomy of the gill cover.
Lethrinus ravus has been described from localities in the western Pacific. Photographic records also confirm its presence in Western Australia. It occurs together with Lethrinus semicinctus and is morphologically very similar, but differs consistently in the color pattern and the average number of scales in the scale patch.
Lethrinus semicinctus has a dark elongated spot under the soft dorsal fin spanning the lateral line and a cluster of dark scales in front of the base of the pectoral fin. Lethrinus ravus lacks these markings. Lethrinus ravus has black-bordered scales that form rows above the lateral line and are scattered below the lateral line.
The English name "Drab Emperor", which translates roughly as monotonous street sweeper, refers to the less than spectacular "monotonous" appearance of Lethrinus ravus.
