SERRANIDAE Cephalopholis miniata, 20.5 cm SL (Photo by Seishi Kimura) Cephalopholis miniata (Forsskål, 1775) Coral Hind D IX, 14-16; A III, 8-9; P1 17-18; P2 I, 5; LLp 47-56; GR 7-9 + 14-16. Body moderately elongate; body depth less than head length, 2.6-3.0 in SL. Head length 2.4-2.6 in SL. Dorsal-fin membranes distinctly incised between spines. Caudal fin rounded. Pectoral fin middle rays longest, its length 1.4-1.8 in head length. Longest pelvic-fin soft ray length 1.9-2.3 in head length. Scales on maxilla; no auxiliary scales on body. Color: body orange-red to reddish brown, with small pale bluegray spots. Pectoral fins orange-yellow distally. Pelvic fins orange-red, distal edge of fin dark bluish gray. Juveniles more yellowish, with faint pale blue spots, fewer than in adults. Size: maximum length about 40 cm. Distribution: widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific, from east coast of Africa east to the Line Islands, including southern Japan and northern Australia. No records from the Persian Gulf or French Polynesia. Remarks: usually found on well-developed coral reefs in clear water at depths of 2 to 150 m. Feeds mainly on fishes. A common species of considerable economic importance to local fisheries.(Hiroyuki Motomura)