Teleostei (teleosts) >
Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) >
Nemipteridae (Threadfin breams, Whiptail breams)
Etymology: Scolopsis: Name from the Greek masculine noun 'skolos' meaning 'thorn' and suffix '-opsis' (from Greek feminine n. 'opsis' meaning 'aspect', 'appearance') meaning ‘thorny appearance’ presumably referring to 'les dentelures de la préopercule, en ont aussi, et même d'épineuses, aux sous-orbitaires' mentioned by Cuvier (1814) in his designation of the genus. Name ending in -'opsis' are treated as feminine according to ICZN 1999: Article 30.1.2 (Ref. 130620).
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 30 m (Ref. 48635). Tropical; 13°N - 12°S, 67°E - 120°E (Ref. 3810)
Indian Ocean: Maldives, Sri Lanka and southern Indonesia. This species has been reported by most authors under the name Scolopsis personatus, but Scolopsis auratus is the older name.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 26.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 90102); common length : 18.0 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 3810)
Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7. Lower limb of preopercle scaly. Antrorse (forward-directed) suborbital spine absent. Pelvic fins long, reaching to or just beyond level of anus. Axillary scale present. Color: Body silvery-white and dusky blue on back. Snout dusky. A narrow pale bluish stripe joining eyes behind nostrils.
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal; Cross section: oval.
Occurs close to reefs (Ref. 9785). Adults at moderate depths in small, loose groups. Juveniles solitary and in sheltered bays along reef edges with rubble or coarse sand (Ref. 48635).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Russell, B.C., 1990. FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 12. Nemipterid fishes of the world. (Threadfin breams, whiptail breams, monocle breams, dwarf monocle breams, and coral breams). Family Nemipteridae. An annotated and illustrated catalogue of nemipterid species known to date. FAO Fish. Synop. 125(12):149p. Rome: FAO. (Ref. 3810)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: subsistence fisheries
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