Description:

Dorsal spines: 10; Dorsal rays: 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 10.

Body oblong. Head profile evenly rounded. Snout somewhat pointed. Lower edge of eye intersected by line from snout tip to middle of caudal fin fork. Eye large. Interorbital space convex and about equal to eye diameter. Mouth relatively small, posterior of jaw not reaching a vertical through front of eye. 2 or 3 pair of small, slender canines at front of each jaw. Lateral teeth villiform to conical. Close-set, round nasal openings in front of eyes. Caudal fin deeply forked with pointed tips. Cheek with 4 to 6 transverse scale rows. 5 ½ scale rows between lateral line and base of middle dorsal fin spines. Inner surface of pectoral fin axil scaleless.

Colour. Overall silvery, sometimes slightly brownish dorsally; 7-8 transverse brown bars on sides, the first crossing through eye, the remainder below dorsal fin and across caudal peduncle. There is considerable variation in the intensity of the dark bars on the sides of the body. Scattered blotches and speckling sometimes evident on sides. Fins clear to yellow-orange. Caudal margin and tips often deep red.

Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 35cm TL, commonly to 25cm TL.

Inhabits the sandy and low-relief rock bottoms of shallow coral reefs and continental shelves (depth 50-100m – indications that it occurs in more shallow waters than this on the Mahe plateau). Feeds mainly on bottom-living invertebrates but also consumes small fish.

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the fish trap fishery and by net, it is a regular and sometimes numerous component of the catch

Al Abdali, F.S.H. et al 2019. Gymnocranius elongatus. The IUCN Red List 2019: e.T16719371A16722300. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T16719371A16722300.en.  (04/06/20).

Carpenter, K.E. & Allen, G.R. (1989). FAO Species Catalogue. Vol. 9 Emperor Fishes and Large-eye Breams of the World (Family Lethrinidae). An annotated and Illustrated Catalogue of Lethrinid Species Known to Date. UNFAO Rome. ISBN 92-5-102889-3

Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. 2020. FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/8084 (04/06/20).

Nevill, J.E.G. (2020). Seychelles Seatizens. Gymnocranius elongatus. https://seatizens.sc/species/gymnocranius-elongatus-senta-1973/