Spangled Emperor

This species commonly grows to approximately 70 cm in length, however the largest individuals have been found to be 87 cm.[clarification needed] It is yellow to yellowish-brown or bronze in colour, the belly being lighter. It has scattered blue markings over the body. The cheeks have no scales and may have a vertical blue markings. It has whitish or yellowish fins with a yellowish-edged dorsal fin.

This fish occurs in the waters of East Africa to the southern parts of Japan. It also lives in Australian coastal waters, and has been recorded in the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and New Caledonia, where it is one of the major commercial fish.

This species feeds mainly on mollusks, echinoderms, and crustaceans. It also eats polychaetes and other fish, but less commonly.

Lethrinus nebulosus is sought after by recreational fishers and is considered to be delicious.

Lethrinus nebulosus has the specific name nebulosus which means "cloudy", Forsskål described it as having "longitudinal clouds of blue and yellow-brown" which is thought to be an allusion to the irregular dark bars that sometimes appear on its flanks.