Sky Emperor

The Sky Emperor is a large, pale-bodied emperor fish with a pink-blue tinge. An important commercial species in UAE waters and one of three Lethrinus emperors on the MOCCAE list. Widely fished both commercially and recreationally across all UAE emirates.

Species Stats

Diet

Crustaceans, molluscs, small fish

Habitat

Sandy bottoms, seagrass beds, reef edges

Local Name (Arabic)

شعري سماوي

Fun Facts

• 1

  One of the larger emperor species — specimens over 60 cm are regularly caught in deeper UAE waters.

• 2

  The "sky" name refers to the pale silvery-blue colouration of adult fish.

• 3

  Lethrinus emperors are among the most ecologically important large demersal fish in the Gulf.

Found In