[4] Lutjanus erythropterus has a moderately deep body which has a standard length of around two and half times its depth with a steeply sloped head and a large eye.

[2] The colour of the adults is pinklish-red to silver, may have a darker red posterior margin on the caudal fin and a light vertical bar behind head.

Its distribution extends from the Gulf of Oman east to the Admiralty Islands of Papua New Guinea, south to northern Australia and north to southern Japan.

[1] Lutjanus erythropterus is considered to be a high quality eating fish which appears in markets on a regular basis, albeit in small quantities.

It is caught using handlines and bottom trawls and is targeted alongside the Malabar blood snapper (Lutjanus malabaricus) in Australia by both recreational anglers and commercial fisheries.