Vanikoro Sweeper

Pempheris vanicolensis has a compressed body which is deepest at the origin of the dorsal fin, before it tapers markedly towards the tail, mainly on the ventral side, with a narrow caudal peduncle. It normally has a greenish sheen over the back and most of the head. The anal fin shows an obvious black margin, the tip of the dorsal fin is black, and the pectoral fins are yellow lacking any black markings. The body depth is 2.2-2.4 times the standard length and it grows to up to 20 cm in total length. The dorsal fin has 6 spines and 9 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 31-43 soft rays.

Pempheris vanicolensis has an Indo-Pacific distribution but the precise distribution is subject to some controversy. The distribution of P. vanikolensis sensu stricto is from the Andaman Sea east through the Malay Archipelago to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands where the type specimen was collected at Vanikoro.