The emperor breams or simply emperors also known as pigface breams are a family, Lethrinidae, of fishes in the order Perciformes

Perciformes

The Perciformes, also called the Percomorphi or Acanthopteri, is one of the largest orders of vertebrates, containing about 40% of all bony fish. Perciformes means perch-like. They belong to the class of ray-finned fish and comprise over 7,000 species found in almost all aquatic environments...

.

They are found in tropical waters of the Pacific and Indian Ocean

Indian Ocean

The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...

s, and Lethrinus atlanticus is also found in the eastern Atlantic. They are benthic feeders, consuming invertebrate

Invertebrate

An invertebrate is an animal without a backbone. The group includes 97% of all animal species – all animals except those in the chordate subphylum Vertebrata .Invertebrates form a paraphyletic group...

s and small fishes. Some species have molariform (molar-like) teeth which they use to eat shelled invertebrates such as mollusks and crab

Crab

True crabs are decapod crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" , or where the reduced abdomen is entirely hidden under the thorax...

s.

Species

• Subfamily Lethrininae
  • Genus Lethrinus Cuvier
    Georges Cuvier
    Georges Chrétien Léopold Dagobert Cuvier or Jean Léopold Nicolas Frédéric Cuvier , known as Georges Cuvier, was a French naturalist and zoologist...
    
    , 1829
    • Ambon emperor, Lethrinus amboinensis Bleeker
      Pieter Bleeker
      Pieter Bleeker was a Dutch medical doctor and ichthyologist, famous for his work on the fishes of East Asia – Atlas Ichthyologique des Orientales Neerlandaises – which was published 1862–1877....
      
      , 1854.
    • Pacific yellowtail emperor, Lethrinus atkinsoni Seale, 1910.
    • Atlantic emperor, Lethrinus atlanticus Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830.
    • Snubnose emperor, Lethrinus borbonicus Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830.
    • Redaxil emperor, Lethrinus conchyliatus (Smith, 1959).
    • Yellowtail emperor, Lethrinus crocineus Smith, 1959.
    • Blackeye emperor, Lethrinus enigmaticus Smith, 1959.
    • Orange-spotted emperor, Lethrinus erythracanthus Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830.
    • Longfin emperor, Lethrinus erythropterus Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830.
    • Longspine emperor, Lethrinus genivittatus Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830.
    • Chinese emperor, Lethrinus haematopterus Temminck
      Coenraad Jacob Temminck
      Coenraad Jacob Temminck was a Dutch aristocrat and zoologist.Temminck was the first director of the National Natural History Museum at Leiden from 1820 until his death. His Manuel d'ornithologie, ou Tableau systematique des oiseaux qui se trouvent en Europe was the standard work on European birds...
      
       & Schlegel
      Hermann Schlegel
      Hermann Schlegel was a German ornithologist and herpetologist.-Early life and education:Schlegel was born at Altenburg, the son of a brassfounder. His father collected butterflies, which stimulated Schlegel's interest in natural history...
      
      , 1844.
    • Thumbprint emperor, Lethrinus harak (Forsskål
      Peter Forsskål
      Peter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist, naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus.-Early life:...
      
      , 1775).
    • Grass emperor, Lethrinus laticaudis
      Lethrinus laticaudis
      Grass Emperor , also known as Grass Sweetlip, is a fish of the Emperor family. It is primarily found in southern and central Queensland. Young fish are often found in inshore beds of eelgrass and mangrove swamps, while adults are common in coastal reefs along the Queensland coast...
      
      Alleyne & Macleay, 1877.
    • Pink ear emperor, Lethrinus lentjan (Lacépède, 1802).
    • Sky emperor, Lethrinus mahsena (Forsskål
      Peter Forsskål
      Peter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist, naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus.-Early life:...
      
      , 1775).
    • Smalltooth emperor, Lethrinus microdon (Bleeker
      Pieter Bleeker
      Pieter Bleeker was a Dutch medical doctor and ichthyologist, famous for his work on the fishes of East Asia – Atlas Ichthyologique des Orientales Neerlandaises – which was published 1862–1877....
      
      , 1851).
    • Sweetlip emperor
      Sweetlip emperor
      The sweetlip emperor , also referred to as the trumpet emperor, is a fish of the Emperor family. It can be found on coral reefs and moderately warm waters in the Western Pacific Ocean, although its primary habitat is the Great Barrier Reef...
      
       (Trumpet emperor), Lethrinus miniatus (Forster, 1801).
    • Spangled emperor, Lethrinus nebulosus (Forsskål
      Peter Forsskål
      Peter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist, naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus.-Early life:...
      
      , 1775).
    • Orange-striped emperor, Lethrinus obsoletus (Forsskål
      Peter Forsskål
      Peter Forsskål, sometimes spelled Pehr Forsskål, Peter Forskaol, Petrus Forskål or Pehr Forsskåhl, was a Swedish explorer, orientalist, naturalist and an apostle of Carl Linnaeus.-Early life:...
      
      , 1775).
    • Longface emperor, Lethrinus olivaceus Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830.
    • Ornate emperor, Lethrinus ornatus Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830.
    • Australian emperor
      Australian Emperor
      Hemianax papuensis, The Australian Emperor or Yellow Emperor , is a dragonfly of the family Aeshnidae.It is found in Australia....
      
      , Lethrinus punctulatus Macleay, 1878.
    • Drab emperor, Lethrinus ravus Carpenter & Randall, 2003.
    • Red snout emperor, Lethrinus reticulatus Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830.
    • Spotcheek emperor, Lethrinus rubrioperculatus Sato, 1978.
    • Black blotch emperor, Lethrinus semicinctus Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830.
    • Slender emperor, Lethrinus variegatus Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830.
    • Yellowlip emperor, Lethrinus xanthochilus Klunzinger, 1870.

• Subfamily Monotaxinae
  • Genus Gnathodentex Bleeker
    Pieter Bleeker
    Pieter Bleeker was a Dutch medical doctor and ichthyologist, famous for his work on the fishes of East Asia – Atlas Ichthyologique des Orientales Neerlandaises – which was published 1862–1877....
    
    , 1873
    • Striped large-eye bream, Gnathodentex aureolineatus (Lacépède, 1802).
  • Genus Gymnocranius Klunzinger, 1870
    • Collared large-eye bream, Gymnocranius audleyi
      Gymnocranius audleyi
      G. audleyi, also known as Collared bream, is a marine fish found off the coast of sourthern Queensland, Australia.These fish are carnivorous and feed on small invertebrates. They are silvery in colour....
      
      Ogilby
      William Ogilby
      William Ogilby was an Irish barrister and naturalist.Ogilby was honorary secretary of the Zoological Society of London from 1839 to 1846....
      
      , 1916.
    • Forktail large-eye bream, Gymnocranius elongatus Senta, 1973.
    • Japanese large-eye bream, Gymnocranius euanus (Günther, 1879).
    • Yellowsnout large-eye bream, Gymnocranius frenatus Bleeker
      Pieter Bleeker
      Pieter Bleeker was a Dutch medical doctor and ichthyologist, famous for his work on the fishes of East Asia – Atlas Ichthyologique des Orientales Neerlandaises – which was published 1862–1877....
      
      , 1873.
    • Blue-lined large-eye bream, Gymnocranius grandoculis (Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830).
    • Grey large-eye bream, Gymnocranius griseus (Temminck
      Coenraad Jacob Temminck
      Coenraad Jacob Temminck was a Dutch aristocrat and zoologist.Temminck was the first director of the National Natural History Museum at Leiden from 1820 until his death. His Manuel d'ornithologie, ou Tableau systematique des oiseaux qui se trouvent en Europe was the standard work on European birds...
      
       & Schlegel
      Hermann Schlegel
      Hermann Schlegel was a German ornithologist and herpetologist.-Early life and education:Schlegel was born at Altenburg, the son of a brassfounder. His father collected butterflies, which stimulated Schlegel's interest in natural history...
      
      , 1843).
    • Blue-spotted large-eye bream, Gymnocranius microdon (Bleeker
      Pieter Bleeker
      Pieter Bleeker was a Dutch medical doctor and ichthyologist, famous for his work on the fishes of East Asia – Atlas Ichthyologique des Orientales Neerlandaises – which was published 1862–1877....
      
      , 1851).
    • Gymnocranius oblongus Borsa, Béarez & Chen, 2010.
  • Genus Monotaxis Bennett, 1830
    • Humpnose big-eye bream, Monotaxis grandoculis (Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes
      Achille Valenciennes was a French zoologist.Valenciennes was born in Paris, and studied under Georges Cuvier. Valenciennes' study of parasitic worms in humans made an important contribution to the study of parasitology...
      
      , 1830).
  • Genus Wattsia Chan and Chilvers, 1974
    • Mozambique large-eye bream, Wattsia mossambica (Smith, 1957).