Sri Lanka sweetlips (Plectorhinchus ceylonensis)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from FishBase, conservation from IUCN Red List, description from Wikipedia.
Plectorhinchus ceylonensis, the Sri Lanka sweetlips, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae, one of two subfamilies in the family Haemulidae, the grunts. It is native to the Indian Ocean around Sri Lanka. It inhabits waters over coral reefs at depths from 5 to 20 m. This species is rarely found in the aquarium trade.
- Scientific name
- Plectorhinchus ceylonensis
- Authority
- (Smith, 1956)
- Family
- Haemulidae
- Order
- Eupercaria incertae sedis
- Maximum length
- 44 cm
- Depth range
- 5–20 m
- Habitat zone
- benthopelagic
- Iucn red list
- Least Concern
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Chordata · Class: Teleostei · Order: Eupercaria incertae sedis · Family: Haemulidae · Genus: Plectorhinchus.
Accepted name: Plectorhinchus ceylonensis · Authority: (Smith, 1956) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 273482.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Gaterin ceylonensis Smith, 1956.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=273482 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (FishBase)
Measured values published by FishBase for Plectorhinchus ceylonensis. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 44 cm · Depth range: 5–20 m · Habitat zone: benthopelagic · Body shape: fusiform / normal · Vulnerability index: 34 of 100 · Fishery importance: commercial · Aquarium trade: never/rarely.
FishBase notes: Found in small to large aggregations in coastal fringing reefs (Ref. 90102).
Source: FishBase species summary (SpecCode 14299) — https://www.fishbase.se/summary/Plectorhinchus-ceylonensis.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Conservation status (IUCN Red List)
The IUCN Red List assesses Plectorhinchus ceylonensis (Smith, 1956) as Least Concern (code LC). No trend, population estimate or threat analysis is given here, because none is available from this source without the Red List API; follow the source link for the full assessment, including its date.
Source: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species (taxon 141363164) — https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/141363164/0; GBIF IUCN Red List category endpoint (taxonKey 2382710) — https://api.gbif.org/v1/species/2382710/iucnRedListCategory. Accessed 2026-09-23.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
Plectorhinchus ceylonensis has thick, fleshy lips and there are 6 pores on the chin but n central pit. It is slaty-grey in colour with a greenish yellow bar running from the eye to the tip of snout. The dorsal fin contains 14 spines and 19 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 7 soft rays. This species can reach a maximum total length of 44 cm.
Plectorhinchus ceylonensis is found in the central Indian Ocean. Its range covers southeastern India and Sri Lanka north and east into the Andaman Sea, as far as the coast of Bangladesh and Myanmar.
Plectorhinchus ceylonensis is found at depths between 5 and 20 m, commonly occurring in the vicinity of shallow sandstone platforms and coastal fringing reefs. It is a social species which shows a tendency to gather in aggregations which may be quite large. It is a carnivorous species which feeds on benthic invertebrates and zooplankton. It is an oviparous species which spawns as distinct pairs.
Plectorhinchus ceylonensis was first formally described in 1965 as Gaterin ceylonensis by the South African ichthyologist James Leonard Brierley Smith with the type locality being Sri Lanka. The specific name ceylonensis refers to the old name for Sri Lanka, Ceylon.
Plectorhinchus ceylonensis is fished for around Sri Lanka using handlines and gill nets and the catch is sold fresh. Catch statistics are not reported for this species. It is not an appropriate fish for the home aquarium.
Source: Wikipedia: Plectorhinchus ceylonensis — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plectorhinchus_ceylonensis (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
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