Yellow-edged Lyretail Grouper

Variola louti

The yellow-edged lyretail grouper (Variola louti), also known as the lunar-tail grouper, is a colorful species reaching about 80 cm found across the Indo-Pacific from the Red Sea to the Pitcairn Islands. Its body is reddish to pink covered with small blue spots, and its tail is distinctively crescent-shaped (lyrate) with bright yellow margins. It inhabits coral reef slopes, channels, and drop-offs, often at moderate depths. A solitary predator, it feeds on fish and crustaceans. Unlike many groupers that are sedentary, it is often seen actively swimming along reef walls. It is a protogynous hermaphrodite, with females changing to males as they grow larger.