Emperors Mafute' / Lililok / Måtan Hågon
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Emperors Mafute' / Lililok / Måtan Hågon
Blackspot emperor / Mafute' / Lethrinus harak
Emperors are oblong snapperlike fishes that are a very important traditional food source. There are about 16 kinds of emperors in Guam's waters. These include five kinds of måtan hågon and nine kinds of mafute' and lililok. Most kinds of emperors root in the sand for invertebrates like mollusks, worms, crustaceans, and sea urchins. These emperors usually have molars or stout conical teeth in their jaws for crushing hard-shelled prey. Some mafute' also feed on fishes and lililok feed mainly on fishes. Many kinds of mafute' and lililok are capable of rapid changes in coloration and often have a pattern of dark reticulations or blotches that make them difficult to distinguish from one another. Emperors are caught by hook and line, tekken, and spear.
The black-spot emperor is one of the most common kinds of mafute' in shallow reef waters. It lives in sandy areas with seagrasses or scattered corals and feeds mainly on invertebrates. This mafute' reaches a length of 14 inches (35 cm).
The redgill emperor is the most common emperor outside the reef at depths
of 40 to 500 feet (12 to 152 m). It lives in sandy areas and reaches a
length of over 16 inches (40 cm).
Lililok (yellowlip emperor) have a longer snout than the mafute' and also
get larger. The yellowlip emperor is the most common lililok in shallow reef
waters. It prefers areas of mixed sand, coral, and rubble as well as
seagrass beds and feeds on hard-shelled invertebrates as well as fishes. It
reaches a length of 24 inches (60 cm).
Måtan hågon get larger than mafute' and have deeper bodies and larger eyes. Only one kind of måtan hågon, the bigeye emperor, is common in shallow reef waters. It is usually found on the seaward reef slope. In the daytime it may occur in groups hovering close to the bottom. At night it moves out over sand to feed. Its very large eye helps it see better at night. It reaches a size of 21 inches (53 cm). Other kinds of bigeye emperor are usually caught by bottomfishing in deeper waters outside the reef at depths of 100 to 600 feet (30 to 182 m).
emp_ln
Guam Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 9/27/2005
