LUTJANIDAE Lutjanus bengalensis (photo by Niphon Phongsuwan) Lutjanus bengalensis (Bloch, 1790) Bengal Snapper D XI-XII, 12-14; A III, 8; P1 16-17; LLp 47-49; GR 8-9 + 17-19. Body moderately deep. Preopercular notch and knob well developed. Vomerine tooth patch crescentic, without a medial posterior extension. Caudal fin emarginate. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Color: back and sides yellowish; belly whitish; sides with 4 bright blue or cobalt stripes. No black spot on back. Fins yellow to whitish. Size: maximum length about 30 cm; commonly to 20 cm. Distribution: East Africa and the Red Sea to the Moluccas Islands in the Indonesian Archipelago, plus the Ryukyu Islands, Japan. Remarks: mainly a coral reef species found at depths between about 10 and 25 m. Feeds mainly on fishes and crustaceans. Caught mainly by hook and line, traps, and gill nets.(Yukio Iwatsuki)