| Family: |
Labridae (Wrasses), subfamily: Corinae |
| Max. size: |
8.96 cm SL (male/unsexed) |
| Environment: |
reef-associated; marine; depth range 2 - 28 m |
| Distribution: |
Western Pacific: tropical to subtropical; north to Japan; south to Australia (New South Wales); including Northern Marianas to Lord Howe Island, eastward to Kwajalein Atoll in the north and to Samoa in the south. |
| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 11-11; Anal spines: 3-3; Anal soft rays: 12-12. This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: D IX,11; A III,12; pectoral-fin rays 13; lateral-line scales 27 (+1 on caudal-fin base); scaleless head; gill rakers 14-17; each jaw with a single pair of large, projecting, and slightly recurved canine teeth anteriorly with the upper pair slightly out-flaring and the lowers curving forward and fitting between uppers when mouth closed; on each side of upper and lower jaws with a short irregular row of 3-9 chisel-like incisiform teeth, no canine posteriorly at corner of mouth; elongate body, depth 4.0-4.3 in SL; moderately compressed, body width 1.8-2.4 in body depth; colour of female IP orangish to reddish to pink, grading to whitish ventrally, the snout yellowish and/or bluish, often with a dark spot at midline tip, no dark mark at front of dorsal fin, median fins yellowish while terminal-phase male with a greenish upper body, bluish lower body, variably tan-pink along dorsal midline, distinctive mid-lateral blue stripe over yellow stripe along side of body; the head green above, blue below, two blue stripes behind eye extending across operculum, snout with a dark to tan band on anterior dorsal midline overlying a blue band and then a green band in front of eye; absence of dark mark at front of dorsal fin; caudal fin is slightly rounded to truncate, with prominent distal black semicircle (Ref. 116679). |
| Biology: |
Usually associated with offshore coral-reef areas in relatively deep-water habitats over rubble bottoms (Ref. 116679). |
| IUCN Red List Status: |
Not Evaluated (N.E.) Ref. (130435)
|
| Threat to humans: |
harmless |
Source and more info: www.fishbase.org. For personal, classroom, and other internal use only. Not for publication.
