Members of the Nemipteridae family are found mainly in tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-West Pacific. They are distinguished by having a single continuous dorsal fin, with 10 spines and 9 soft rays, and anal fin with 3 spines and 7 to 8 soft rays. Their color are extremely variable, but often pinkish or reddish with red, yellow or blue markings.
Nemipterids are carnivorous bottom-living fishes feeding mainly on other small fishes, cephalopods, crustaceans, and polychaetes. They can be solitary or schooling and do not appear to be territorial.
Worldwide, there are 5 genera and about 66 species. The 5 genera are Nemipterus (Threadfin Breams), Parascolopsis (Dwarf Monocle Breams), Pentapodus (Whiptails), Scaevius (Coral Breams) and Scolopsis (Monocle Breams).
Monocle Breams or Scolopsis are distinguished by the a large backwardly pointing spine and a series of smaller spines at the suborbital beneath the eye. There are approximately 13 species of Monocle Breams found in Malaysia.
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Scientific Name: Scolopsis margaritifera (Cuvier, 1830) English Name: Pearly Monocle Bream Local Malay Name: Ikan Pasir, Pasir-pasir Mutiara Local Hokkien: Tua Bak Kor Main Diagnostic Features: Head scales reaching to or almost to posterior nostrils. 2 pearly white stripes on snout in front of eyes. Size: Maximum standard length 17.5 cm, commonly to 15 cm.  Scientific Name: Scolopsis monogramma (Cuvier, 1830) English Name: Rainbow Monocle Bream, Monogrammed Monocle Bream French Name: Scolopsis masqué Local Malay Name: Ikan Pasir, Pasir-pasir Jalur Gelap Local Hokkien: Tua Bak Kor Main Diagnostic Features: Head scales reaching to between anterior margin of eyes and posterior nostrils. A blue chevron-shaped stripe running upwards from below eye onto opercle and bending downward towards pectoral-fin base. 3 bluish stripes on snout with the uppermost joining eyes above nostrils, the middle stripe joining eyes through nostrils and lower stripe from eye to tip of snout. Size: Maximum standard length 26 cm, common standard length 18 cm.   Scientific Name: Scolopsis taenioptera (Cuvier, 1830) English Name: Latice Monocle Bream Mandarin Name: 红哥里 (Hóng gē lǐ) Local Malay Name: Kerisi Pasir, Pasir-pasir Mentimun Local Hokkien: Ang Goh Li Local Teochew: Ang Nee Main Diagnostic Features: A reddish-orange spot present on the upper part of pectoral fin base. Size: Maximum standard length 30.0 cm, common standard length 15.0 cm.  Scientific Name: Scolopsis vosmeri (Bloch, 1792) English Name: Whitecheek Monocle Bream Mandarin Name: 白头库 (Bái tóu kù) Local Malay Name: Puyu Laut, Pasir-pasir Pipi Putih Local Hokkien: Peh Tao Kor, Thik Kak Chia Main Diagnostic Features: A broad white vertical bar from top of head onto opercle. Size: Maximum total length 25.0 cm, common standard length 15.0 cm.  |