PRIACANTHIDAE Priacanthus tayenus, 11.9 cm SL (photo by Seishi Kimura) Priacanthus tayenus, 8.4 cm SL (from Nah Trang, Vietnam; photo by Seishi Kimura) Priacanthus tayenus Richardson, 1846 Purplespot D X, 12-14; A III, 13-14; P1 18-19; LLp 72-82. Body moderately deep, laterally compressed. A strong spine at angle of preopercle. Caudal fin truncate but becoming very lunate in some males. Color: body red with pinkish silvery reflection. Fins pinkish; pelvic fins with characteristic small deep purple to inky black spots in membrane with 1 or 2 larger spots in connective membrane to belly. Size: maximum length 29 cm. Distribution: northern Indian Ocean, through the Indo-Malayan Archipelago, from the Andaman Sea to northern Australia and the South China Sea, western Pacific. Remarks: occurring usually in around the sandy and rocky shore or open sandy bottom, very important in trawl fishes in Andaman Sea and South China Sea.