Yellowstripe Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis auratus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Yellowish to greenish to bluish pale gray upper body and whitish belly; broad yellow mid-lateral stripe, dark diffuse band between eyes.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Sandy bottoms of lagoons and coastal reefs in 1-30m.
Location: East Indian Ocean - Maldives, Sri Lanka, Andaman Sea to W. Sumatra and S. Java.

Whitestreak Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis ciliatus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Pale gray body; 2-4 longitudinal rows of orange spots on side, white streak below base of dorsal fin.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Sandy fringe of coastal and lagoon reefs in 2-25m. Frequent silty areas.
Location: East Indo-Asian Pacific - Andaman Sea to Solomon Is. and Vanuatu, north to S.W. Japan.

Whitecheek Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis vosmeri
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Deeper bodied than most members of the family; purplish brown with dark scale centers; broad white bar on head behind eye.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Sand and rubble bottoms of coastal reefs and lagoons in 2-25m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to N. Australia, north to S.W. Japan.

Three-Lined Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis trilineatus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Shades of gray; 3 white to yellowish curving lines extend from eye to back and base of dorsal fin, dark band between eyes with bluish band above.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Sheltered coastal reefs and lagoons in 1-10m.
Location: West Pacific - Central Indonesia to Samoa. Philippines to Great Barrier Reef.

Striped Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis lineatus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Dark gray to blackish upper body with 2-3 white stripes and irregular whitish bars, white below.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Sandy fringe of coastal reefs, lagoons and seaward slopes in 1-20m.
Location: East Indo-West Pacific - Andaman Sea to Vanuatu and Gilbert Is. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef.

Rainbow Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis temporalis
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 40cm
Identification: Gray back with pale blue to white stripe and wider bright stripe below; pair of blue bands between eyes, darkish spot behind upper rear eye, narrow orange line on cheek.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Mixed sand of coastal and lagoon reefs to 35m.
Location: West Pacific - E. Sulawesi and Molucca Is. in Indonesia to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Is., Vanuatu and Fiji.

Pearly Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis margaritifer
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Pearly shades of gray; frequently 2-3 longitudinal rows of yellow spots on side and yellow pectoral fin base, two narrow whitish bars below rear dorsal fin.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Sand and rubble fringe of coastal reefs and lagoons in 2-25m.
Location: West Pacific - Sumatra in Indonesia to Palau and Vanuatu. Taiwan to N. Australia.

Pearl-Streaked Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis xenochrous
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Brownish body with pale underside; brown-edged diagonal blue streak behind head followed by a series of brown spots and elongate pearly streak.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Rubble areas of coastal reefs, lagoons and outer slopes in 5-50m.
Location: Indo-Asian Pacific - Maldives to Solomon Is. Taiwan to Australia.

Pale Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis affinis
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Pale gray body with yellowish tail; 3-4 rows of black dots on upper back.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Sandy bottoms of lagoons and coastal reefs in 5-35m.
Location: East Indo-Asian Pacific - Andaman Sea to Solomon Is. S.W. Japan to Great Barrier Reef.

Monogram Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis monogramma
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 38cm
Identification: Pale gray to whitish body; blue band between eyes and margin on yellowish tail; often display elongate brown blotch on side with adjacent yellowish areas.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Sandy fringe of coastal reefs lagoons in 2-50m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Sumatra in Indonesia to Papua New Guinea. S.W. Japan to E. Australia and New Caledonia.

Lattice Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis taeniopterus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 30cm
Identification: Yellowish gray upper body and white below; dark mid-lateral stripe; red spot on pectoral fin base, bluish stripe or patch on snout extends between eyes.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups; shy.
Hide-out: Sandy fringe of reefs or muddy estuaries in 2-25m.
Location: East Indo-Asian Pacific - E. Andaman Sea to Papua New Guinea. Taiwan to Australia.

Bridled Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis bilineatus
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Dark gray to yellow upper body, white below; black-edged white band runs from below eye to rear of dorsal fin, 3 yellow stripes on upper head.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Sand and rubble fringe of reefs to 25m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Maldives to Fiji. S.W. Japan to Australia and New Caledonia.

Arabian Monocle Bream

Scientific Name: Scolopsis ghanam
Family: Coral Breams - Nemipteridae
Maximum Size: 25cm
Identification: Alternating pale gray to black and white stripes on upper body and white below with rows of black spots.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Coastal reefs and lagoons in 2-25m.
Location: Indian Ocean - Red Sea, E. Africa and Arabian Gulf to Andaman Sea.