About Pempheris vanicolensis Cuvier, 1831
Pempheris vanicolensis has a compressed body that is deepest at the origin of the dorsal fin, before it tapers sharply toward the tail—this tapering occurs mainly on the ventral side, and the species has a narrow caudal peduncle. The back and most of the head of Pempheris vanicolensis normally have a greenish sheen. The anal fin has a clear black margin, the tip of the dorsal fin is black, and the pectoral fins are yellow with no black markings. The species' body depth measures 2.2 to 2.4 times its standard length, and it can grow to a maximum total length of 20 centimeters. The dorsal fin has 6 spines and 9 soft rays, while the anal fin has 3 spines and 31 to 43 soft rays. Pempheris vanicolensis is distributed across the Indo-Pacific, but its exact distribution is a matter of scientific controversy. Pempheris vanikolensis sensu stricto ranges from the Andaman Sea east through the Malay Archipelago to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands; the species' type specimen was collected at Vanikoro.
