About Lethrinus microdon Valenciennes, 1830
Lethrinus microdon Valenciennes, 1830 is a fish species that has a bluish-grey or brown body, with pale or somewhat orange fins and a moderately long snout. It commonly has dark, scattered, irregular blotches across its sides. Some individuals have three dark streaks that radiate out from the eye toward the snout. This is a relatively elongate fish, reaching a maximum total length of approximately 70 cm; most commonly encountered individuals measure between 30 and 50 cm in length. This species is widespread, with confirmed records from the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, the region from East Africa to Sri Lanka, the Ryukyu Islands, and Papua New Guinea. Lethrinus microdon is a non-migratory species that lives on sandy bottoms near reefs, at depths ranging from approximately 10 to 80 metres. It forms small schools, and occasionally schools with Lethrinus olivaceus. It is fished commercially, and is classified as an excellent food fish. It is typically marketed fresh, rather than frozen. It is caught with gill nets, trawls, handlines, and fish traps.
