Redfin Bream

Monotaxis heterodon differs from M. grandoculis, with which it used to be considered synonymous, by having 18 rather than 19 transverse scale rows on the cheek. This species also has thin, vertical white bars along the upper body and the juveniles differ in having no vertical bar through the eye and no black blotches. It is an overall sovery greyish colour on the body, broken by the thin white vertical bars along the back, these are only one or two scale rows wide (3-4 on M. grandocularis). There is a black blotch on the axil, of the pectoral fin, the lips are brownish to reddish and the fins are tinged with yellowish to reddish.

Monotaxis heterodon occurs in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. In the Indian Ocean it occurs at the Seychelles, Maldives and Sri lanka, as well as Christmas Island and the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. It is found throughout the islands of Indonesia east into the Pacific Ocean where it occurs east to Fiji, south to the Great Barrier Reef, Lord Howe Island and New Caledonia. This species is found on sheltered coral reefs down to 25 m (82 ft).

== References ==

Monotaxis heterodon has the specific name heterodon which means "different teeth" which was an allusion to the single row of molar teeth compared to the 2 or 3 rows of Pagrus, the genus Bleeker placed it in.