Description:

Dorsal spines: 10; Dorsal rays: 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 8.

Body moderately deep. Posterior nostril a longitudinal opening, closer to orbit than to anterior nostril. Lateral teeth in jaws conical or rounded. Cheek without scales. 
Body light tan or olive to brown, lightening below; centres of scale is often lighter than background colour. The colour variation in scales provides a mottled brown 
pattern that sometimes resolves into 8-9 brownish bars on the flank. Alternatively specimens may lack such markings. A distinctive orange stripe from base of pectoral 
fin to lower peduncle. Two more faint orange stripes above and one more below this stripe. Head often with several broad indistinct vertical and diagonal light and dark 
bands and sometimes there are white spots below the eye. Posterior edge of operculum dark brown. Fins are whitish or tan, sometimes mottled. The rays of the dorsal fin are 
reddish, as are the distal portions of some of the rays on the anal fin. The caudal fin is brownish red with a redder line on the margin.
 

Maturity: Lm 23.7cm FL. Range ? - 25.7cm FL. Max Length: 60 cm TL, commonly 30 cm TL

Inhabits seagrass beds, and sand and rubble areas of lagoons and reefs to a depth of 30 m. Juveniles usually occur in seagrass beds and move to reef habitats as they grow.

Feed mostly on molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoderms. Found singly or in groups.

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is caught in the trap and hand line fisheries, but is an uncommon and not numerous component of the catch.

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
Carpenter, K.E. et al. (2016). Lethrinus obsoletus. The IUCN Red List 2016: http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T16720267A16722420.en. (12/05/19).
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. Eds. (2019). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/1847  (12/05/19).
Lethrinus obsoletus in Fishes of Australia, http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/2755 (12/05/19). 
Nevill, J. (2013). A Species Identification Guide for Commonly Caught Fish in the Seychelles Near-Shore Artisanal Fishery. GOS/UNDP/GEF.

Nevill, J.E.G. (2019). Lethrinus obsoletus, Orange-striped emperor. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/lethrinus-obsoletus-forsskal-1775/ (edited 19/10/21).