Home · Lethrinidae · Emperor
Emperor (Lethrinus obsoletus) — Lethrinidae

Emperor

Lethrinus obsoletus
Family: Lethrinidae

The Emperor (Lethrinus obsoletus) is a saltwater fish of the family Lethrinidae that grows up to 60 cm.

Length
60 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0–30.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Schooling
Activity
Nocturnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The orange-striped emperor is an emperor (Lethrinidae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 60 cm and has an elongate, olive-grey body with a conspicuous orange to yellow longitudinal stripe along the flank. As a bottom-oriented predator it lives on sandy and seagrass flats near reefs to about thirty metres deep and hunts mainly at night for molluscs, crustaceans and small fish. It is a valued food fish. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Emperor?

The Emperor has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly yellow-gold and shows a horizontal stripes pattern.

Where does the Emperor live?

The Emperor lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Emperor get?

The Emperor grows to a maximum of about 60 cm. On average the species is around 30 cm.

Is the Emperor dangerous to humans?

No, the Emperor is harmless to humans.

Is the Emperor edible?

Yes, the Emperor is commonly eaten.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Oranjestreep-keizer verified
English name
Emperor verified
Scientific name
Lethrinus obsoletus
Family
Lethrinidae
Other names
Orangestripe emperor; Orange-stripe emperor; Orangestriped emperor; Orange-striped emperor verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
60.0 verified
Average length (cm)
30.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Yellow / gold sourced
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Forked inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Max depth (m)
30.0 verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Schooling sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Nocturnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
levensduur_max_jaar
14.0 verified

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Hengelsport sourced
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Lethrinus

More from the family Lethrinidae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →