The common inhabitant of Maldivian reefs, Sufflamen bursa, can be easily distinguished from the similarly sized and shaped S. chrysopterus (on the next page) by its color, as S. chrysopterus is dark brown.
Details
§ 01
size
Max. 20 cm
color
Greyish brown, pale below. A white line from corner of mouth to anal fin origin. Two dark curved bars posteriorly on head, which may be either yellow or black.
This species is typically found on reef flats and reef slopes. It is omnivorous, meaning it feeds on both plants and animals, and feeds on algae and a wide variety of small benthic invertebrates, which are animals that live on or near the bottom of the ocean.
distinctive characters
The fish has a dorsal fin with three spines and 27-29 rays, an anal fin with 25-27 rays, and a pectoral fin with 13-14 rays. Its dorsal and ventral profiles of the head are nearly straight, its cheeks are scaled, there is a prominent groove in front of the eye, and there are longitudinal scale ridges on the posterior part of the body extending forward to the middle of the body. The caudal fin is truncate to slightly rounded.