Lethrinus atkinsoni is a species of emperor fish described by Alvin Seale in 1910. It is commonly 30 to 35 cm long with a bluish-grey, yellowish, or tan in colour, and a white belly. This species is widespread throughout the west Pacific Ocean. It is a reef-associated fish and is non-migratory. It is solitary or is found in small schools, and lives in seagrass beds and over the sandy bottoms feeding on plankton, mollusks, crustaceans, and other fishes. This fish is caught by humans for food, but less so than other species in the genus due to its small size.