Humpback Thicklip

Plectorhinchus gibbosus, commonly referred to by various names such as Harry hotlips, black sweetlips, and humpback sweetlips, is a species within the marine ray-finned fish group. It belongs to the sweetlips category under the subfamily Plectorhinundefinede, which is part of the Haemulidae family, commonly known as the grunts. This species is indigenous to the Western Pacific and 🌊 Indian Oceans.

Characterized by its notable fleshy lips that significantly swell with age, Plectorhinchus gibbosus features six pores on its chin without a median pit. The dorsal fin is structured with 14 spines and 15 to 16 soft rays, while the anal fin consists of 3 spines and 7 to 8 soft rays. The species exhibits a color range from silvery-grey to brownish, marked by dark-edged scales, a dusky facial appearance, and a thin dark bar on the anterior operculum with a black rear margin. The soft-rayed portions of the dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are dusky in hue. Juvenile specimens are brownish, with pink or transparent caudal fins, and exhibit natural mimicry by drifting with their bodies aligned parallel to the ocean surface, resembling fallen leaves. This species can attain a maximum length of 75 cm (30 in).

The distribution of Plectorhinchus gibbosus spans the Indo-Pacific region, from 🇰🇪 Kenya to 🇿🇦 South Africa along Africa's eastern coast, and extending across southern Asia into the Pacific to areas such as Polynesia. Its range includes the Ryukyu Islands (🇯🇵 Japan) of southern 🇯🇵 Japan in the north and extends south to 🇦🇺 Australia, specifically from the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia to Tasmania's Flinders Island, as well as Lord Howe Island and Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea. It also inhabits regions around 🌊 Indian Ocean islands including Socotra (🇾🇪 Yemen), 🇸🇨 Seychelles, 🇲🇬 Madagascar, and the western parts of the Mascarene Islands.

Plectorhinchus gibbosus typically inhabits depths ranging from 8 to 25 meters (26 to 82 feet), favoring coastal reefs, sandbanks, and estuarine environments. It exhibits the ability to transition into freshwater. Juveniles are commonly found along sheltered sandy shorelines, where they use camouflage to mimic fallen leaves by floating on their sides. Adult specimens prefer inshore reef-protected waters but can also inhabit offshore deep waters, often forming small aggregations. In captivity, their diet includes crustaceans, invertebrates, and fish. This species is oviparous and engages in spawning as distinct pairs.

Initially described formally in 1802 as Holocentrus gibbosus by French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède, the type locality was incorrectly noted as Surinam, although it is likely 🇮🇩 Indonesia. The specific epithet "gibbosus" translates to "humpbacked," referring to its pronounced convex dorsal profile.

Plectorhinchus gibbosus is commonly captured using handlines and spears, and is typically marketed fresh, although a minor portion is preserved through salting. It is highly regarded as a food fish.