About Monotaxis grandoculis (Forsskål, 1775)
Description: This species has a maximum published total length of 60 cm (24 in), with 40 cm (16 in) being the more common total length, and a maximum published weight of 5.9 kg (13 lb). Monotaxis grandoculis has an oblong body, whose depth is 2.1 to 2.7 times its standard length. The dorsal profile of the head forms a distinct hump in front of the eyes, with a steeply sloping snout below this hump. It has large eyes, with a diameter that is roughly equal to the length of the snout. The rear margin of the preoperculum is finely serrated. Canine-like teeth are located at the front of each jaw; these transition to small teeth at the front of the jaw sides, and to molar-like teeth at the back of the jaws. The dorsal fin has 10 spines and 10 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 9 soft rays. The fish's overall body color is silvery-greyish, with thin dark margins on each scale and a large black blotch on the axil of the pectoral fin. Adults typically have 3 to 4 black vertical bands separated by thinner white bands on the back. Juveniles have 3 wide dark brown to black saddle-shaped bars on the body, with the two rearmost bars extending onto the dorsal fin. Juveniles also have a black bar running through the eyes and a reddish band along the outer portion of the caudal fin lobes.
Distribution and habitat: Monotaxis grandoculis has a wide distribution across the Indo-Pacific region. Its range extends from the Red Sea and the coast of eastern Africa south to South Africa, and across the Indian Ocean, though it is not found in the Persian Gulf. In the Pacific Ocean, its range extends east to the Hawaiian Islands, north to southern Japan, and south to Australia. In Australia, it occurs at Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands; off Western Australia, it is found from Ningaloo Reef, Rowley Shoals and Scott Reef north to northeast of Evans Shoal in the Timor Sea; along Australia's east coast, it ranges from the northern Great Barrier Reef south to Seal Rocks, New South Wales, with juveniles found as far south as Sydney. This fish lives close to reefs in areas of sand and rubble, at depths between 3 and 150 m (9.8 and 492.1 ft).
