Yellow-edged Lyretail is also known as Yellowedge Coronation Trout, Fairy Cod, Lunar Tail Rock Cod, Lunartailed Cod, Lyre-tail Cod, or Moontail Seabass.
It’s a type of marine fish belonging to the grouper subfamily Epinephelinae, which is part of the Serranidae family that includes anthias and sea basses.
This fish lives in the Indo-Pacific region and is more common than its relative, the white-edged lyretail.
Yellow-edged lyretail usually stays in the clear water below 15 meters deep and prefers islands and offshore reefs over continental shores.
Its diet mainly consists of other fish, crabs, shrimp, and stomatopods. This fish is known for its delicious meat and is often consumed.
However, it’s not sold in Mauritius due to cases of ciguatera poisoning. Yellow-edged lyretail can still be found in Hong Kong’s live fish markets.
Fishers catch this popular food source using handlines, spears, and traps. This fish is not compatible with a reef environment.
Yellow-edged Lyretail Interesting Facts
- Yellow-edged lyretail (Variola louti) is a marine fish found in the Indo-Pacific region, living in reef environments at depths of 15 to 300 meters.
- This fish has an oblong-shaped body with unique features like large canine teeth on the lower jaw’s middle side and a crescent-shaped caudal fin.
- Its color varies from yellowish-brown to orange-red, often with small blue, lavender, or pink spots; young ones have distinct black bands that turn into spots as they grow.
- Although appreciated for its tasty flesh, it isn’t sold in Mauritius due to cases of ciguatera poisoning but can still be found in Hong Kong’s live fish markets.
Yellow-edged Lyretail Habitat
Yellow-edged lyretail is a fish found in the Indo-Pacific region.
Its habitat stretches from the Red Sea to South Africa and the Pitcairn Islands, extending north to southern Japan and south to New South Wales, Australia.
However, it’s not present in the Persian Gulf or Hawaii.
This marine fish lives in reef environments and doesn’t migrate. It typically swims at depths of 15 meters to 300 meters but can be found as shallow as 3 meters.
Yellow-edged lyretail thrives in tropical waters between 30°N to 37°S latitude and 30°E to 23°W longitude.
| Water Temperature: | Unknown |
| Water pH: | Unknown |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Yellow-edged Lyretail Physical Characteristics
Size: 32.7 inches (83.0 centimeters)
Yellow-edged lyretail grows up to 32.7 inches (83.0 centimeters) in length and weighs up to 12 kg.
This fish has a unique appearance, including 9 dorsal spines, 13 to 14 dorsal soft rays, 3 anal spines, and 8 anal soft rays.
The body is oblong-shaped and has a depth less than its head length.
This species has several distinct features like a rounded preopercle with fine serrations, an opercle with three flat spines, large canine teeth on the lower jaw’s middle side, and gill rakers on the first gill arch.
The caudal fin is crescent-shaped, while the pectoral fin has 16 to 19 rays. There are also numerous scales along the lateral line.
The color of this fish varies from yellowish-brown to orange-red, often with small blue, lavender, or pink spots.
Young ones have different markings like black bands along their bodies that break into spots near their heads, as well as yellow or white stripes running from their jaws to dorsal fins.
Small young fish of this species lack these black bands and spots but develop them as they grow larger.
Yellow-edged Lyretail Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Serranidae |
| Genus: | Variola |
| Scientific Name: | Variola louti |
| Also Known As: | Yellow-edged Lyretail, Yellowedge Coronation Trout, Fairy Cod, Lunar Tail Rock Cod, Lunartailed Cod, Lyre-tail Cod, Moontail Seabass |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |