LETHRINIDAE Lethrinus harak, 20.9 cm SL (from Iriomote I., Japan; photo by Seishi Kimura) Lethrinus harak (Forsskål, 1775) Thumbprint Emperor D X, 9; A III, 8; P1 13; P2 I, 5; LLp 46-47. Body moderately elongate, compressed. Head profile around eye nearly straight. Outer surface of maxilla smooth or with a longitudinal ridge. Fourth or fifth dorsal-fin spine longest. First anal-fin soft ray longest. Cheek not covered with scales; inner surface of pectoral fin axil covered with scales; usually 13 or 14 scale rows in lower series around caudal peduncle. Color: body olive or gray dorsally, shading to silvery white below. A large elliptical black spot, broadly edged in yellow, on lateral surface of body below lateral line and around pectoral fin tip. fins white to pinkish; vertical fins sometimes lightly mottled or striped. Size: maximum length about 50 cm. Distribution: widely distributed in the Indo-West Pacific, from east coast of Africa east to Samoa, and southern Japan south to northeastern Australia. Remarks: occurs in shallow sandy, coral rubble, mangrove, lagoon, and seagrass areas to depths of about 20 m. Feeds on a wide variety of benthic invertebrates and small fishes. (Hiroyuki Motomura)