TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes)
Order: Perciformes (Perch-likes)
Family: Labridae (Wrasses)

Genus/species: Clepticus parrae

ClepticusParrae14582664694_eb0ac408f1_b

GENERAL/CHARACTERISTICS: Color primarily violet or purple; large individuals with a wash of yellow on lower two-thirds of body; prolonged portions of dorsal and anal fins and tips of pelvic fins blackish. Max length : 30.0 cm (1 foot).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Western Atlantic: Bermuda, southern Florida (USA), and Bahamas to northern South America. Found in seaward reef slopes; occasionally on shallow patch reefs.
Depth 10-30 meters (33-100feet).

DIET IN THE WILD: Plankton small jellyfishes, pteropods, pelagic tunicates and various invertebrate larvae

REPRODUCTION: Form leks during breeding (a place where males assemble during the mating season and engage in competitive displays that attract females). Protogynous hermaphrodite The largest fish in a group is a dominant breeding male, while smaller fish remain female. If the dominant male dies, the largest female changes sex.

CONSERVATION: IUCN; Least Concern.

REMARKS: Like many wrasse, it changes color markedly during its lifetime, with juveniles being almost completely violet-purple. As it matures, it develops a yellow patch on the rear part of its body.

REFERENCES:

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/3656

eol eol.org/pages/218105/details

flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/14290169509/

WordPress Shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1ic