About Caesio cuning (Bloch, 1791)
Caesio cuning (Bloch, 1791) has a deep, laterally compressed body. Small conical teeth are present on its jaws, vomer, and palatines. Both the dorsal and anal fins are covered in scales. The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 14 to 16 soft rays, most commonly 15. The anal fin has 3 spines and 10 to 12 soft rays, most commonly 11. Pectoral fins have 17 to 20 fin rays, most frequently 18 or 19. This species reaches a maximum total length of 60 cm, or 24 inches.
In terms of coloration, the rear of the back, caudal fin, and dorsal surface of the caudal peduncle are yellow. The remaining upper body is greyish blue. The lower flanks and abdomen are white or pinkish. The pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins range from white to pink. The axil of the pectoral fin and the upper part of its base are black. The dorsal fin is greyish-blue on its front portion and yellow on its rear portion.
This species has an Indo-West Pacific distribution. Its range extends east from Sri Lanka and southern India to Fiji, north to southern Japan, and south to northern Australia. It inhabits depths between 1 m (3 ft 3 in) and 60 m (196 ft 10 in). It is frequently found in silty areas with poor visibility, and can also be found in coastal waters, typically above rocky and coral reefs.
