click for previous page

Perciformes: Labroidei: Labridae 3447

Novaculichthys taeniourus (Lacepède, 1801) (Plate IV, 32) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None. FAO names: En - Rockmover ; Fr - Rason aigue; Sp - Doncella aiguera.

Diagnostic characters: Body moderately deep, its depth 2.6 to 3 times in standard length, and compressed, its width 2.4 to 3 times in its depth. Dorsal profile of head slightly convex, head forming an acute angle; jaws prominent, 2 large canines situated anteriorly in each jaw; no enlarged tooth at rear of upper jaw. Dorsal fin continuous, with IX spines and 12 (rarely 13) soft rays; the first 2 dorsal-fin spines flexible, distinctly elongate in juveniles; anal fin with III spines and 12 soft rays; pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 11 branched rays; pelvic fins not filamentous; caudal fin rounded. Lateral line interrupted below posterior portion of dorsal fin, with 19 or 20 pored scales on anterior portion and 5 or 6 on peduncular portion. Scales not reaching onto bases of dorsal and anal fins; no scales in front of dorsal fin, 2 small rows of scales on cheek behind and below eye; opercle and lower jaw without scales. Colour: body greenish brown, sides with a pearly white spot on each scale; head with 2 pairs of white-edged brown lines radiating backwards from eye, first pair directed upwards and the other downwards; fins greenish brown matching body; dorsal and anal fins with whitish reticulations; caudal fin with a broad white vertical band basally and whitish reticulations distally; a prominent black spot at forward end of dorsal fin; a second on pectoral-fin base. Large individuals with red chest and belly. Small individuals with whitish head and 2 additional pairs of brown lines radiating forward and downward from eye; white spots on sides somewhat arranged into vertical bands. Size: Maximum total length about 30 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found primarily on coral, sand, and rubble areas around reefs. Juveniles mimic drifting . Feeds primarily on hard-shelled prey, including molluscs and crustaceans. Often seen turning over or moving rocks in quest of invertebrates beneath. Highly territorial, 2 similar sized will fight by grappling with their strong jaws. Taken by hook-and-line or with spear by divers, and occasionally marketed. Juveniles popular in the aquarium trade. Distribution: Broadly distrib- uted in the and the western Central Pacific. 3448 Bony Fishes

Oxycheilinus arenatus (Valenciennes, 1840) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Cheilinus arenatus Valenciennes, 1840 / Oxycheilinus mentalis (Rüppell, 1828). FAO names: En - Speckled maori wrasse.

Diagnostic characters: Body moderately slender, its depth 2.8 to 3 times in standard length. Head pointed, dorsal profile nearly straight with slight concave inflexion above eye in juveniles and small adults, concave in front of eye in large adults; lower jaw prominent, 2 strong canines situated anteriorly in each jaw; no enlarged tooth present on rear of upper jaw; corner of mouth extends rearward to vertical at forward extent of orbit. Posterior ends of dorsal and anal fins bluntly pointed to rounded; dorsal fin continuous, with IX spines and 10 soft rays, the spines and anterior soft rays of similar length; anal fin with III spines and 8 soft rays; pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 10 branched rays; pelvic fins short, not reaching to anus; caudal fin truncate to double emarginate, with corners produced into short pointed lobes. Scaly sheath extending onto dorsal and anal fins. Lateral line interrupted below posterior portion of dorsal-fin base, with 14 scales on anterior portion and 9 or 10 on peduncular part. Predorsal scales 6, reaching forward to vertical at centre of eye; cheek scales reaching just anterior to forward extent of orbit, broad naked margins adjacent to orbit and free preopercular edge; subopercular scales extending anteriorly to vertical at centre of eye. Colour: body light red dorsally, becoming white ventrally with ventral scales flecked with red; a dark midlateral stripe on body; head and dorsal part of body finely flecked with small orange-red and some brown dots, the nape and upper body flecked with tiny white dots; dorsal and anal fins translucent whitish, mottled with light red and marked with irregular whie lines and dots, the dorsal fin with a black spot anteriorly; caudal fin with pinkish white lobes spotted with light red, the central region of fin greenish, shading to yellowish posteriorly, the caudal-fin rays deep blue-green; pectoral fins pale; pelvic fins white with a broad light red band near base. Size: Maximum standard length about 16 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found on deep water reefs, usually more than 30 m. Feeds primarily on fishes, shrimps, and other crustaceans. This is not commonly marketed for food, and is not seen in the aquarium trade. Distribution: Samoa and Marshall Islands, west to the Red Sea. Perciformes: Labroidei: Labridae 3449

Oxycheilinus digrammus (Lacepède, 1801) (Plate V, 33) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Cheilinus diagrammus (Lacepède, 1801) / None. FAO names: En - Cheeklined maori wrasse.

Diagnostic characters: Body moderately slender, its depth 2.9 to 3.2 times in standard length. Head pointed, dorsal profile nearly straight, slightly concave in front of eye in large adults; lower jaw prominent, 2 strong canines anteriorly in each jaw; no enlarged tooth present on rear of upper jaw; corner of mouth extending rearward to vertical at forward extent of orbit. Posterior ends of dorsal and anal fins bluntly pointed to rounded; dorsal fin continuous, with IX spines and 10 soft rays, the spines and anterior soft rays of similar length; anal fin with III spines and 8 soft rays; pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 10 branched rays; pelvic fins short, not reaching to anus; caudal fin slightly rounded to truncate, with corners produced into short pointed lobes. Scaly sheath extending onto dorsal and anal fins. Lateral line interrupted below posterior portion of dorsal-fin base, with 14 to 16 scales on anterior portion and 7 to 9 on peduncular part; predorsal scales 6, reaching forward to vertical at centre of eye; cheek scales reaching just anterior to forward extent of orbit, broad naked margins adjacent to orbit and free preopercular edge; subopercular scales extending anteriorly to vertical at centre of eye. Colour: variably coloured, body olive green to grey-brown fading to orange red on anteroventral surface, with an orange-red bar or spot on each scale; head grey-green with irregular orange lines on upper part parallel to dorsal profile, radiating from eye, and a series of about 8 diagonal purple lines on lower cheek nearly perpendicular to upper linear series; large central portion of caudal fin mainly green; may have a narrow longitudinal dark stripe on body; dorsal and anal fins with 2 or 3 longitudinal lines, alternating orange and blue; pectoral fins largely clear with light red base; pelvic fins clear distally, proximally orange-red. Size: Maximum standard length about 40 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found on coral reefs at depths of 3 to 30 m. Feeds primarily on fishes, shrimps, and other crustaceans. Very curious in response to divers, particulary if the substrate is disturbed. Large individuals of this species are commonly marketed for food, and small individuals are often seen in the aquarium trade. Distribution: Samoa to Mar- shall Islands, west to the Red Sea. 3450 Bony Fishes

Oxycheilinus orientalis (Günther, 1862) (Plate V, 34) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None. FAO names: En - Oriental maori wrasse.

Diagnostic characters: Body slender, its depth 3.3 to 4 times in standard length. Head pointed, dorsal profile straight in front of eye; lower jaw prominent, 2 strong canines anteriorly in each jaw; no enlarged tooth present on rear of upper jaw; corner of mouth extending rearward to vertical at forward extent of orbit. Posterior ends of dorsal and anal fins bluntly pointed to rounded; dorsal fin continuous, with IX spines and 10 soft rays, the spines and anterior soft rays of similar length, anal fin with III spines and 8 soft rays, pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 10 branched rays; pelvic fins short, not reaching to anus; caudal fin slightly rounded with upper corner slightly produced into thin pointed lobe in some large specimens. Scaly sheath extending onto dorsal and anal fins about 1 scale or less. Lateral line interrupted below posterior portion of dorsal-fin base, with 13 or 14 scales on anterior portion and 7 or 8 on peduncular part. Predorsal scales 6, reaching forward to vertical at centre of eye; cheek scales reaching just anterior to forward extent of orbit, broad naked margins adjacent to orbit and free preopercular edge; subopercular scales extending anteriorly to vertical at centre of eye; lower jaw without scales. Colour: variably coloured, body usually pale whitish to pink with a broad midlateral stripe extending from tip of snout, through eye to caudal peduncle, stripe variable from brown to yellow with a pink border; a prominent black spot on interspinous membrane of dorsal fin, often edged with yellow; black blotchy spot on lateral line below second to fourth dorsal-fin spines; median fins pale translucent white with thin vermiculating red lines, caudal often with a dark blotch at the base; pectoral fins clear, orange-pink at base; pelvic fins clear to slightly pink distally, with darker markings at base. Juvenile head and body pinkish orange; a broad yellow-orange lateral band from snout to base of caudal fin, containing a dusky orange spot below dorsal-fin rays and another at caudal-fin base; a large blackish blotch on middle of caudal fin. Size: Maximum total length about 15 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found on coral reefs at depths of 15 to 80 m, among dense cover of coral rubble or algae. Feeds primarily on fishes, shrimps, and other crustaceans. Curious in response to divers, particulary if the substrate is disturbed. Large individuals of this species are commonly marketed for food, and small individuals may be seen in the aquarium trade. Distribution: , Phil- ippines, and Ryukyu Islands to Samoa and Marshall Islands; replaced by the closely related Cheilinus mentalis in the In- dian Ocean. Perciformes: Labroidei: Labridae 3451

Oxycheilinus unifasciatus Streets, 1877 (Plate V, 35) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Cheilinus rhodochrous Schultz, 1960 / Oxycheilinus digrammus (Lacepède, 1801). FAO names: En - Ringtail maori wrasse.

Diagnostic characters: Body moderately slender, its depth 2.6 to 3.2 times in standard length. Head pointed, dorsal profile nearly straight, slightly concave in front of eye in large adults; lower jaw prominent, 2 strong canines anteriorly in each jaw; no enlarged tooth present on rear of upper jaw; corner of mouth extends rearward to vertical at forward extent of orbit. Posterior ends of dorsal and anal fins bluntly pointed to rounded; dorsal fin continuous, with IX spines and 10 soft rays, the spines and anterior soft rays of similar length; anal fin with III spines and 8 soft rays; pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 10 branched rays; pelvic fins short, not reaching anus; caudal fin slightly rounded to truncate, with corners produced into short pointed lobes. Scaly sheath extending onto dorsal and anal fins. Lateral line interrupted below posterior portion of dorsal-fin base, with 15 or 16 scales on anterior portion and 6 to 9 on peduncular part. Predorsal scales 6, reaching forward to vertical at centre of eye; cheek scales reaching just anterior to forward extent of orbit, broad naked margins adjacent to orbit and free preopercular edge; subopercular scales extending anteriorly to vertical at centre of eye. Colour: variable coloured with 2 common patterns: the first pattern is with body dark green to reddish, with an orange-red bar or spot on each scale; head greenish with irregular orange lines on upper part parallel to dorsal profile, radiating from eye, and a series of 5 or 6 diagonal purple lines on lower cheek; second pattern is reddish on upper three-fifths of body and pale white on ventral two-fifths of body, with entire caudal peduncle pale; both colour patterns exhibit a pale grey to green area behind the eye that is bordered dorsally and ventrally by red lines, and extends rearward slightly ventrally to end on the opercular margin just above pectoral-fin base; large central portion of caudal fin mainly green; faint to prominent white bar encircling caudal peduncle below last dorsal-fin rays; dorsal and anal fins with 2 or 3 longitudinal lines, alternating orange and blue; pectoral fins largely clear with light pink base; pelvic fins clear distally, proximally orange-red. Size: Maximum total length about 36 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisher- ies: Found on coral reefs at depths of 3 to 150 m. A fero- cious predator that feeds pri- marily on fishes, shrimps, and other crustaceans. Large indi- viduals of this species are commonly marketed for food, and small individuals are oc- casionally seen in the aquar- ium trade. Distribution: Widely distrib- uted in the Indo-Pacific. 3452 Bony Fishes

Paracheilinus filamentosus Allen, 1974 Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None. FAO names: En - Filamentous wrasse.

Diagnostic characters: Body moderately deep, its depth 3.1 to 3.65 times in standard length. Mouth small, oblique, the maxilla ending anterior to a vertical at front edge of eye; the upper jaw with 3 pairs of enlarged canines anteriorly, the third (most lateral) pair the largest and curved outward and posteriorly; lower jaw with a single pair of anterior canines; no canine at corner of mouth. Eye with modified scleral cornea forming a double pupil. Branchiostegal rays 6. First gill arch with 13 to 16 gill rakers. Dorsal fin with IX spines and 11 soft rays, 2 to 6 dorsal-fin rays greatly prolonged into extended filaments; anal fin with III spines and 9 soft rays; pectoral fins with 14 rays; caudal fin slightly emarginate to strongly lunate, principal caudal-fin rays 13. Lateral line interrupted, with 15 to 17 pored scales on anterior portion and 5 to 9 on peduncular part. Head scaly except interorbital space and snout; median predorsal scales 5. Colour: body salmon dorsally, pink ventrally, sides with 6 pink-edged red stripes alternating with yellow; dorsalmost stripe running from just below upper end of gill opening diagonally to fifth lateral-line scale, reappearing on row of scales below lateral line under scale 9 and continuing nearly to caudal-fin base (this stripe with a median irregular dark bluish line which disappears in about middle of body); second stripe from beneath opercular flap to about middle of body; third from upper base of pectoral fins to caudal-fin base; fourth from pectoral-fin axil to lower caudal peduncle; fifth from pectoral-fin base across abdomen and extending faintly to rear base of anal fin; sixth across middle of thorax and ending anteriorly on abdomen; head with 3 red stripes with light blue centres except posterior part of lower stripe, the first from snout circling upper eye to origin of lateral line, the second from rear of eye to posterior edge of opercle at level of pectoral-fin base, and the third from posterior upper lip, rimming lower edge of eye, and ending at edge of subopercle; dorsal fin orange-yellow with a pale blue margin and black submarginal line except where interrupted hy filamentous rays; a red band at base of fin (becoming dark bluish anteriorly) which extends anteriorly onto nape; anal fin red with a pale blue margin; caudal fin red with a clear crescent in median posterior part of fin with a zone of pale blue on membranes; paired fins pale pink, the pelvic fins with light blue over spine and first membrane. Size: Maximum total length about 15 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisher- ies: Found over rubble or patch reefs in areas of current. Specimens have been col- lected in the depth range of 5 to 35 m. Feeds on zooplankton in the water column. Not found in markets, occasionally seen in the aquarium trade. Distribution: Taiwan Prov- ince of China, Philippines, and Indonesia to Great Barrier Reef; west into Indian Ocean. Perciformes: Labroidei: Labridae 3453

Pseudocheilinops ataenia (Schultz, 1960) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None. FAO names: En - Pelvicspot wrasse.

Diagnostic characters: Body moderately deep, its depth 2.2 to 2.6 times in total length. Snout short, forming an acute angle; maxilla not quite reaching orbit; 2 pairs of canines in upper jaw, the anterior pair near symphysis smaller than large lateral pair; 2 pairs similarly in lower jaw, with outer pair largest, no tooth at corner of mouth; small, conical teeth in a single row medial to canines in both upper and lower jaws; posterior margin of preopercle serrate. Dorsal fin with IX spines and 11 soft rays; anal fin with III spines and 9 soft rays; pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 11 branched rays; pelvic fins large and rounded; caudal fin rounded, branched caudal-fin rays 11. Lateral line interrupted, with 14 or 15 scales in anterior part and 5 to 7 in peduncular part; cheek scaly; predorsal scales 5. Colour: body dull wine red with narrow sulphur yellow stripes; fin rays pale indigo blue; fin membranes pink; pelvic fins with dark blotchy spot on outer half of fin membrane; iris of eye red. Size: Maximum total length about 4.5 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: A small, secretive species with a largely unkown biology. Feeds on amphipods and other small invertebrates. Not found in markets and only rarely in the aquarium trade. Distribution: Indo-Australian, from southern Philippines and Sulawesi to Palau. 3454 Bony Fishes

Pseudocheilinus octotaenia (Jenkins, 1900) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None. FAO names: En - Eightlined wrasse.

Diagnostic characters: Body moderately deep, its depth 2.9 to 3.4 times in total length. Snout pointed, moderately long, 2.6 to 2.95 times in head length; 3 large canine teeth on each side at front of upper jaw, the third notably the largest and sharply curved outward and posteriorly; lower jaw with 1 pair of large canines anteriorly which fit between first and second pair of large upper teeth when mouth is closed; an inner row of small teeth anteriorly which continues as a single row along sides of jaws. Eye with modified scleral cornea forming a double pupil. Dorsal fin with IX spines and 11 soft rays; anal fin with III spines and 9 soft rays; pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 12 branched rays; caudal fin rounded, branched caudal-fin rays 11. Lateral line interrupted, with 17 or 18 scales in anterior part and 6 or 7 in peduncular part. Head scaly except ventrally, on snout, and interorbital; predorsal scales 5. Colour: orange-red with 8 narrow dark purple to dark brown stripes on body following scale rows; cheek purplish with yellow spots; median fins yellow with purple bands or small spots; anterior edge of orbit black-lined; dorsal surface of head with about 5 dark lines. Size: Maximum total length about 14 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found at depths of 2 to 50 m, somewhat cryptic in habits, thus more common than underwater observations would indicate. Small benthic crustaceans predominate in the diet, followed by molluscs and echinoids. Planktonic such as crab megalops are eaten if they come close to the bottom. Distribution: Broadly distrib- uted in the Indo-Pacific. Perciformes: Labroidei: Labridae 3455

Pseudocoris yamashiroi (Schmidt, 1930) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None. FAO names: En - Redspot wrasse.

terminal phase

Diagnostic characters: Body elongate, its depth 4.4 to 4.7 times in standard length. Dorsal profile of head slightly convex; head forming an acute angle; jaws prominent; a single pair of canine teeth anteriorly in jaws, following teeth small; no canine at corner of mouth. Dorsal fin continuous, with IX flexible spines and 12 soft rays; the first 2 dorsal-fin spines in large individuals longer and set closer together than succeeding spines; anal fin with III flexible spines and 12 soft rays; pectoral fins with 13 rays; pelvic fins short; caudal fin emarginate. Lateral line abruptly curved below posterior portion of dorsal-fin base, with 69 to 73 pored scales. Scales not reaching onto bases of dorsal and anal fins; head without scales. Colour: initial phase pink and grey, centres of scales darker red than edges; head behind eye blue-green; a large red spot covering pectoral-fin base; axil of pectoral fins and above blue. Males light blue-green on dorsal three-fifths of body, densely spotted with vertically elongate black spots; lower two-fifths of body bluish white with small yellow spots; head blackish dorsally shading to blue-grey on side and to blue ventrally; caudal fin black with a large white semicircular area centrally and posteriorly in fin. Juveniles with pale blue-green lines, the major one starting at front of snout, passing over eye, and along upper part of body; a second one from mouth, across cheek, and along lower side of body. Size: Maximum total length about 15 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Occurs in aggregations over shallow reefs and on reef flats where it feeds on zooplankton. Rarely found in markets, and only occasionally in the aquarium trade. Distribution: Micronesia and Samoa to western Pacific.

click for next page