Tag Archive: Wrasse


8-10-18 Yellowhead Wrasse From Ron’s Caribbean Reef Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
August 10, 2018

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Labridae (Wrasses)

Genus species: Halichoeres garnoti
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GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: All yellowed wrasses begin their lives as females. As they grow they change theirs and coloration. Adults are blue above the lateral line and have a yellow belly. Juveniles are yellow with a silvery blue stripe along the side. Super males (terminal males), have black vertical bar behind tip of pectoral fin, merging with broad black area on upper side.

Length up to 19 cm (7.5 in)

Yellowhead Wrasse

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: H. garnoti are native to the Western Atlantic; Bermuda and southern Florida to southeastern Brazil.
Commonly found on shallow and deep reefs and exposed ledges.

DIET IN THE WILD: Crustaceans, molluscs, worms, echinoderms.

REMARKS: Curious; easily attracted by divers. Diurnal; swim constantly during the day and rest at night.

References

California Academy of Sciences, Steinhart Aquarium Caribbean Reef 2018

Ron’s flickr  https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/2958190043/in/album-72157625866509117/

Ron’s WordPress permalink https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/2958190043/in/album-72157625866509117/

 

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4-19-18 Yellow Wrasse from Ron’s Indo-Pacific Hidden Reef Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, INDO-PACIFIC — Leave a comment
April 19, 2018

TAXONOMY
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Labridae (Wrasses)

Genus/species: Halichoeres chrysus

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: The body is elongated and canary yellow in color, with distinctive light-green bands on the head. Males have a single white-rimmed
black spot on dorsal fin; females have two black, light yellow-rimmed spots.

Length up to 12 cm (4.75 in).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: East Indo-Pacific: Christmas Island to Marshall Islands; north to Japan, south to Australia. Found on sand and rubble edges of reefs.

DIET IN THE WILD: The Yellow Wrasse is a carnivore; small worms, snails, crustaceans;
also may eat parasites off of other fishes.

REPRODUCTION: H. chrysus is a protogynous hermaphrodite They start life as females with the capability of turning male later. Distinct pairing during breeding has been noted.

CONSERVATION: IUCN

REMARKS: Most species of wrasse are elongated and relatively slender with pointed snouts. Characteristic features of the wrasses include thick lips, smooth scales, long dorsal and anal fins, and large, often protruding canine teeth in the front of the jaw.

Other common characteristics include their form of propulsion, which depends mostly on the winglike motion of the pectoral fins with only an occasional burst of speed provided by the caudal fin.

References
California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Hidden Reef 2016
Vetted J. Charles Delbeek, M.Sc.
Assistant Curator, Steinhart Aquarium

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/3380012747/in/album-72157659465376212/

fishbase. http://fishbase.org/summary/Halichoeres-chrysus.html

EOL  http://eol.org/pages/212334/details

ADW  http://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Halichoeres_chrysus/classification/

 

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7-21-16 Red Shoulder Wrasse from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
July 20, 2016

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

Genus/species: Stethojulis bandanensis

Stethojulis bandanensisIMG_8597

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: The body is elongate and fusiform with a pointed head and small mouth. Primary phase individuals are brown with hundreds of tiny white specks, a white belly, yellowish cheeks, and an orange shoulder patch. Terminal males typically have a series of partial to complete longitudinal thin blue lines on their sides. Females mainly bluish grey with fine white spotting over upper sides and a small red spot at axil of pectoral fin. They have a blue-green on upper half and bluish below.

Length up to 15 cm (6 inches)

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Tropical Indo-Pacific: eastern Indian Ocean to western Australia, Found in shallow clear water of reef flats and lagoon and seaward reefs, in areas of mixed sand, rubble and coral. Depth 3-30m (10-100 feet).

DIET IN THE WILD: Zoobenthos ( small benthic invertebrates living on, in, or near the seabed, also known as the benthic zone)

REPRODUCTION: Oviparous with distinct pairing during breeding

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least concern LC

References

California Academy of Sciences Philippine coral reef 2016
Vetted J. Charles Delbeek, M.Sc.
Assistant Curator, Steinhart Aquarium

fishbase www.fishbase.se/summary/5640

EOL eol.org/pages/994413/details

Ron’s flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/13226075944/

IUCN  www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/187424/0

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1e5

 

 

 

 

 

www.guammarinelab.com/fish/species_html/stethojulis.banda…

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7-15-16 Two-tone Wrasse from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
July 15, 2016

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

Genus/species: Halichoeres prosopeion

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Adults green-blue in front fading to light yellow behind. A dark spot behind the eye; dorsal fin with large black spot near the front. Unlike most wrasses, no obvious differences between sexes.

Length up to 13 cm (5 inches).

Two-tonewrasseIMG_6778

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Western Pacific; east to Indonesia and Sumatra, north to southern Japan, south to Great Barrier Reef. Habitat: Lagoons and seaward reefs. Depth range 2 – 40 m (6.5 -130 feet).

DIET IN THE WILD: Small crabs, shrimps, worms, and other benthic invertebrate.

Two-tonewrasse13572020553_2c6e678b2e_b

REMARKS: Like many wrasses, it quickly buries itself in sand when threatened or alarmed.

CONSERVATION: IUCN Least concern

References

California Academy of Sciences Philippine coral reef 2016
Vetted J. Charles Delbeek, M.Sc.
Assistant Curator, Steinhart Aquarium

Ron’s Wordpress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1fe

Ron’s flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/13572020553/in/album-72157625992053826/

 fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/Halichoeres-prosopeion.html

 EOL eol.org/pages/211449/details

 

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3-22-16 Lyretail Hogfish from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: INDO-PACIFIC, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
March 21, 2016

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

Genus/species: Bodianus anthioides

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Brown head and forebody with a long pig-like snout, white rear body with scattered brown spots and a deeply forked tail.

Max length: 24.0 cm (9.5 in)

25762047822_9709aa1a9e_k

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Tropical Indian Ocean inhabiting seaward reefs at depths of 20–60 m (65- 200 ft).

DIET IN THE WILD: The Lyretail Hogfish is a benthic (bottom) feeder of invertebrates and small crustaceans.

REPRODUCTION: They are oviparous with distinct pairing during breeding.

25894961095_960b8b3ea7_k

CONSERVATION: IUCN Red List Least Concern (LC)

REMARKS: Hogfish definition: Any of various wrasses of the genus Bodianus. Also described as possessing a very elongated snout which it uses to search for crustaceans buried in the sediment. Interestingly it is from this very long “pig-like” snout and its rooting behavior that the hogfish gets its name.

References

California Academy of Sciences Steinhart Aquarium Philippine coral reef 2016

Reef Fish Identification of the Tropical Pacific, Allen et al. Odyssey Pub. 2003 p.230

Ron’s flickr www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/albums/72157625992053826/

fishbase  www.fishbase.org/summary/SpeciesSummary.php?genusname=Bod...

EOL eol.org/pages/216945/details

IUCN www.iucnredlist.org/details/187715/0

Ron’s WordPress Shortlink  wp.me/p1DZ4b-1FE

 

 

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7-8-14 Creole Wrasse from Ron’s Tropical Marine Caribbean Series

Filed under: Uncategorized — Leave a comment
July 8, 2014

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

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4-1-14 Six-Line Wrasse from Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: Uncategorized — Leave a comment
April 1, 2014

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

Genus/species: Pseudocheilinus hexataenia

Six-line Wrasse3237047032_23cc672a39_b

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: To 7.5 cm (3 inches). Violet with six horizontal orange stripes on side. Small black dot on upper tail base.

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Indo-Pacific among seaward reefs in coral branches. Depth 20 meters (65 feet).

DIET IN THE WILD: Primarily small crustaceans, snails, and flatworms.

PREDATORS: Preyed upon by grouper and other finfish.

Philippine Coral reef PR04

References

flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/3237047032/

WordPress shortlink  http://wp.me/p1DZ4b-1f9

fishbasewww.fishbase.de/summary/Pseudocheilinus-hexataenia.html

EOLwww.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/3237047032/edit-details/

 

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3-24-14 Sixbar Wrasse From Ron’s Tropical Marine Series

Filed under: CORAL REEF, TROPICAL MARINE — Leave a comment
March 24, 2014

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

Genus/species: Thalassoma hardwicke

Sixbar Wrasse8410603333_678203e399_b

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS: Adult is pastel blue to pale green with six dark, vertical bars on their body, the last two saddling the tail. The head has a distinct ‘daisy’ print around the eyes made of a few different pastel colors (e.g., pink bands radiating from the eye) in larger adults.  Max length: 20 cm (7.9 in).

DISTRIBUTION/HABITAT: Found in the tropical Indo-Pacific in shallow lagoons and seaward reefs. Depth to 15 m (50 ft.).

DIET IN THE WILD: Carnivore on benthic and planktonic crustaceans, invertebrates and small fishes.

Sixbar Wrasse8393609669_e1f3601c7c_b

REPRODUCTION: Protogynous hermaphrodite; Hermaphroditism occurs when a given individual in a species possesses both male and female reproductive organs, or can alternate between possessing first one, and then the other. The most common pattern is for a female to change into a male (protogyny). This often happens when a large dominant male is removed by a predator. Within a few days, the largest female in the harem becomes a dominant male and takes over the missing male’s function. This pattern is common in coral reef fishes, such as parrotfishes, wrasses, and groupers.
T.hardwicke is a pelagic spawner meaning water currents widely disperse the young. The eggs, embryos and larvae of pelagic spawners contain oil globules or have a high water content. As a result, they are buoyant and are widely dispersed by currents. The downside is that mortality is high, because they can be eaten so easily by pelagic predators. Pelagic spawners who live in or around coral reefs can spawn a small number of eggs almost daily over a period of months.

CONSERVATION: IUCN; least concern

REMARKS. Occur in small, loose groups.

References

flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/cas_docents/4390962019/in/set-72157608208133134/

WordPress shortlink wp.me/p1DZ4b-nD

fishbase www.fishbase.org/summary/Thalassoma-hardwicke.html

EOL eol.org/pages/220102/details

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