Description:

Dorsal spines: 12; Dorsal rays: 17-18; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 7-8.

Lips fleshy, swollen with age; moderately large eye. Scales extend to nostrils. Front half of preorbital naked. Ctenoid scales give rough texture. Fourth and fifth dorsal 
spines longest. Second anal spine markedly stronger and longer than third. Caudal fin rounded in young to emarginate in adults.

Colour. Body blue grey to steel grey sometimes with areas of bronze scales. Edge of opercle and lips orange-red. Fins and head leaden grey.
 

Maturity: Lm 26cm FL. Range unknown. Max Length: 60cm TL.

Found over rocks and corals, as well as seagrass beds (depth 2-25m).

Solitary or in small groups close to shelter. Feeds on small benthic organisms including crustaceans. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding.

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

Fischer, W. & G. Bianchi (eds) (1984).  FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Indian Ocean; (Fishing Area 51). Prepared and printed with the 
support of the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). Rome, Food nd Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, vols 1-6: pag. var.
Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2019). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/7626 (29/05/19).
Russell, B. et al. (2019). Plectorhinchus sordidus. The IUCN Red List 2019: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-2.RLTS.T194435A2335052.en. (04/07/22).
Smith, M. & Heemstra, P. (Eds.) (1999). Smiths’ Sea Fishes Edition 6. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 10.1007/978-3-642-82858-4

Nevill, J.E.G. (2019). Plectorhinchus sordidus, Sordid rubberlip. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc.  https://seatizens.sc/species/plectorhinchus-sordidus-klunzinger-1870/ (updated 04/07/22).