Monotaxis grandoculis Click to enlarge image
A Humpnose Big-eye Bream at a depth of 22m, Tijou Reef, far northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, December 1999. Image: E. Schlögl
© E. Schlögl

Fast Facts

  • Classification
    Genus
    Monotaxis
    Species
    grandoculis
    Family
    Lethrinidae
    Order
    Perciformes
    Class
    Actinopterygii
    Subphylum
    Vertebrata
    Phylum
    Chordata
    Kingdom
    Animalia
  • Size Range
    The species grows to 60 cm in length.

Introduction

Adult Humpnose Big-eye Bream are bluish-grey above and silvery on the sides. The species occurs in tropical and temperate marine waters of the Indo-West and Central Pacific.

Identification

Adult Humpnose Big-eye Bream are bluish-grey above and silvery on the sides. The fins are reddish-orange and the area around the eye is often yellow. Adults are usually seen without any markings, but can quickly assume four broad blackish bars or saddles on the body. Juveniles have three black saddles separated by white bars on the upper half of the body. They have a prominent black bar through the eye. Juvenile colouration can be seen in individuals up to 30 cm in length.


Bigeye Seabream

A Bigeye Seabream at a depth of 18 m, Osprey Reef, Coral Sea, November 1998.

Image: Erik Schlögl.
© Erik Schlögl

Habitat

This fish can be found at depths of 1 m to 100 m.

Distribution

The species occurs in tropical and temperate marine waters of the Indo-West and Central Pacific. It occurs from East Africa and the Red Sea, north to Japan, south to Australia and east to the Hawaiian Islands. In Australia the Humpnose Big-eye Bream is known from the Great Barrier Reef, Queensland.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.


Distribution data sourced from the Atlas of Living Australia

Feeding and diet

The Humpnose Big-eye Bream is a nocturnal feeder. Food items include molluscs, brittle stars, sea urchins, crabs, polychaetes, sea squirts and sea cucumbers.

Other behaviours and adaptations

As adults this fish often forms large aggregations of up to 50 individuals, but solitary fish have been observed. Juveniles are usually solitary.

References

  1. Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
  2. Carpenter, K.E. & G.R. Allen, 1989. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 9. Emperor fishes and large-eye breams of the world (family Lethrinidae). An annotated and illustrated catalogue of lethrinid species known to date.. FAO Species Synopsis. No. 125(9): Pp. 118.
  3. Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 362.
  4. Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 222.
  5. Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 415.