Aphareus rutilans Cuvier, 1830
Rusty jobfish
Aphareus rutilans
photo by Randall, J.E.

Family:  Lutjanidae (Snappers), subfamily: Etelinae
Max. size:  110 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 11 kg
Environment:  reef-associated; marine; depth range 100 - 330 m
Distribution:  Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Hawaiian Islands, north to the Ryukyu and Ogasawara islands, south to Australia. Southeast Atlantic: Port Alfred, South Africa (Ref. 11228).
Diagnosis:  Dorsal spines (total): 10-10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 8-8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body elongate and laterally compressed; lower jaw protruding; premaxillae not protrusible, fixed by a frenum; teeth in jaws are extremely small, minute in large adults; roof of mouth toothless; maxilla without scales or longitudinal ridges; interorbital region flattened; gill openings extending far anterior to orbit; gill rakers on first gill arch 16 - 19 + 32-35 = 49-52; last soft ray of both dorsal and anal fins well produced, longer than next to last ray; caudal fin forked; D X,11 (occasionally 10); membranes of dorsal and anal fins without scales; tubed lateral-line scales 69-75. Colour of body blue-grey or mauve to overall reddish; margin of maxilla black; in some specimens, at least, inside of mouth, gill chamber, and gills shining silver; fins yellowish to reddish except pelvic and anal fins sometimes whitish (Ref. 9821).
Biology:  Adults inhabit reefs and rocky bottom areas to depths of at least 100 m (Ref. 4887). Found in pelagic and benthopelagic waters (Ref. 58302). They feed on fishes, squids and crustaceans (Ref. 4887). Marketed fresh (Ref. 37816).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 04 March 2015 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless
Country info:  Found in coastal waters (Ref. 45255). Also Ref. 55.


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