Thumbprint emperor
Lethrinus harak
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Thumbprint emperor
- Scientific
- Lethrinus harak
- Dhivehi
- ލައް ފިލޮޅުLah filolhu
- Group
- Reef fish
- Family
- Lethrinidae (emperors)
- Maximum size
- Up to about 55 cm (fork length); commonly 30 cm; max. published weight 2.9 kg (FishBase); MRS 1997 gives common to 30 cm; max. 50 cm
- Depth and habitat
- Coral reefs and reef-associated habitats, recorded from 0 to 20 m; also enters brackish water
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2015
Description
An olive-green emperor, paler below, with a large black oblong blotch, often rimmed in yellow, on the side below the dorsal fin, and rosy lips and fins. It lives over shallow sand, rubble and seagrass near reefs and in lagoons and eats worms, crustaceans, molluscs and small fish.
In the Maldives
Dhivehi name lah filolhu (MRS 1997), with vilu filolhu as an alternative. MRS calls it the least wary emperor and common on shallow Maldivian reef flats and seagrass.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Lethrinus-harak.html
- fao.org /4/AD471E/AD471E00.htm
- fishbase.se /comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=1851&GenusName=Lethrinus&SpeciesName=
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ލައް_ފިލޮޅު
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Emperador_San_Padro_(Lethrinus_harak),_Anilao,_Filipinas,_2
Dhivehi name source: M.R.S. (1997) Fishes of the Maldives (FAO/BOBP MAG/21) gives 'Lah filolhu, Vilu filolhu' (Latin form). FishBase (country: Maldives) gives a different name: 'Lahjehi filolhu'. Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article 'ލައް ފިލޮޅު' (derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition); it matches the Latin form. FishBase also lists 'Filolu', 'Makarimas' under India (Minicoy/Lakshadweep Mahl dialect); not used. FLAG: sources disagree; needs a Dhivehi speaker.