About Lutjanus vitta (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824)
Lutjanus vitta has a moderately deep body, with a standard length 2.6 to 3.0 times its body depth, and a moderately steep forehead. The incision and knob on the preoperculum are poorly developed. Vomerine teeth are arranged in either a triangular patch with a rearwards extension or a rhombus shape, and the tongue holds a patch of small, grain-like teeth. The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 12 to 14 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 to 9 soft rays; the rear tips of both the dorsal and anal fins are pointed. The pectoral fins contain 15 to 16 rays, and the caudal fin is truncate or weakly emarginate. This species reaches a maximum total length of 40 cm (16 in), though 35 cm (14 in) is a more typical size. Its overall body color ranges from whitish to pinkish, with a yellowish-brown to black stripe running along the middle of its flanks. Very thin oblique stripes sit above the lateral line, and slender longitudinal brown stripes are found below the lateral line. The back and median fins are yellow. Juveniles and subadults have a wider, blacker stripe than adult individuals. Lutjanus vitta has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. In the Indian Ocean, its range extends east from the Seychelles and Socotra to the Maldives, southern India, and Sri Lanka. In the western Pacific, it occurs from Thailand and Indonesia east to New Caledonia, the Gilbert Islands, and the Marshall Islands, south to Australia, and north to southern Taiwan. In Australia, it is found from the Houtman Abrolhos islands in Western Australia, around the tropical northern coast to Moreton Bay in Queensland, and also at Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea. It occurs at depths between 10 and 72 m (33 and 236 ft), and can be found on coral reefs, as well as in areas with low coral outcrops, sponges, and sea whips.
