A Field Guide to Tropical Reef Fishes of the Indo-Pacific by Gerald R. Allen

Author:Gerald R. Allen [Allen, Gerald R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

PLATE 80: WRASSES

LABRIDAE

1. SURGE WRASSE

Thalassoma purpureum (Forsskål, 1775)

Inhabits rocky reefs and inshore coral reefs, usually where there is wave action; male distinguished by ornate pattern highlighted by reddish-pink to purple stripes, female and juvenile greenish with double row of elongate red to brown blotches or stripes on middle and lower side; also known as Red-and-Green Wrasse; Great Barrier Reef, N.W. Australia and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-C. Pacific; to 40 cm.

2. BLUEHEAD WRASSE

Thalassoma amblycephalum (Bleeker, 1856)

Inhabits coral and rocky reefs, usually several females seen with each male; male distinguished by bluish head with broad pale band just behind head, female has dark stripe or is overall brownish on upper half of body and white below; Great Barrier Reef, N.W. Australia and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 15 cm.

3. SEVENBAND WRASSE

Thalassoma septemfasciatum Scott, 1959

Inhabits rocky and weedy reefs; male distinguished by uniform dark body and yellow pectoral fins, female by broad greenish bars on side and yellow colour on pectoral fin base; W.Australia only, between Rottnest Island and Coral Bay; to 31 cm.

4. MOON WRASSE

Thalassoma lunare (Linnaeus, 1758)

Inhabits coral and rocky reefs; distinguished from T. lutescens (5) by magenta central portion of pectoral fin; juveniles (not shown) have a bluish belly and large black spot at base of tail; Great Barrier Reef, N.W. Australia and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 30 cm.

5. GREEN MOON WRASSE

Thalassoma lutescens (Lay & Bennett, 1839)

Inhabits coral and rocky reefs; male similar to T. lunare (4), but with blue-edged pectoral fin and lighter body colour, juvenile (not shown) with black midlateral stripe; Great Barrier Reef, N.W. Australia and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-C. Pacific; to 30 cm.

6. SIXBAR WRASSE

Thalassoma hardwicke (Bennett, 1830)

Inhabits coral reefs; distinguished from T. jansenii (7) by narrower bars, some of which extend to belly region; Great Barrier Reef, N.W. Australia and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-C. Pacific; to 18 cm.

7. JANSEN’S WRASSE

Thalassoma jansenii (Bleeker, 1856)

Inhabits coral reefs; similar to T. hardwicke (6), but has broader bars that do not extend onto belly; Great Barrier Reef, N.W. Australia and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-W. Pacific; to 18 cm.

8. LONG GREEN WRASSE

Pseudojuloides elongatus Ayling & Russell, 1977

Inhabits weed beds; distinguished by elongate shape, male has orange blotch at pectoral base and blue spots on upper side, female uniform greenish; W. Australia (between Abrolhos Islands and Dampier Archipelago), New South Wales, New Zealand and Japan; to 15 cm.

9. BLUETOOTH TUSKFISH

Choerodon typus (Bleeker, 1857)

Inhabits flat sandy bottoms or rubble; distinguished by blue and yellow stripes in front of eye and yellowish fins; N.Australia (North West Shelf to Cape York) and throughout S.E. Asia to S. India; to 14 cm.

10. BLUE RAZORFISH

Iniistius pavo (Valenciennes, 1840)

Inhabits sand bottoms, uses keeled forehead to burrow into the sand when threatened; distinguished by broad brown bars and antenna-like first dorsal fin; Great Barrier Reef, N.W. Australia and throughout S.E. Asia; Indo-C. Pacific; to 35 cm.

11. LEAF WRASSE

Iniistius dea (Temminck & Schlegel, 1845)

Inhabits sand bottoms, burrows in sand when threatened; distinguished by antenna-like first dorsal fin, red or pinkish colour with vague bars and small

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