click for previous page 3420 Bony Fishes Choerodon fasciatus (Günther, 1867) (Plate II, 12) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Lienardella fasciata (Günther, 1867) / None. FAO names: En - Harlequin tuskfish. Diagnostic characters: Body deep, its depth 2.2 to 2.5 times in standard length. Dorsal profile of head convexly curved above eyes; anterior tip of head forming a broad angle with snout steeply inclined; jaws prominent; 4 strong canines situated anteriorly in each jaw with second pair in lower jaw directed laterally; an enlarged canine present on each side at rear of upper jaw. Dorsal fin continuous, with XIII spines and 7 soft rays; the fourth and fifth soft rays longest; anal fin with III spines and 10 soft rays; posterior dorsal and anal fins pointed; pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 12 or 13 branched rays; pelvic fins not filamentous; caudal fin truncate to slightly emarginate. Lateral line continuous, smoothly curved, with 29 pored scales. Scales barely reaching onto bases of dorsal and anal fins; scales in front of dorsal fin distinctly not extending forward to above eye; cheek and opercle scaly, scales on cheek extending forward nearly to corner of mouth; lower jaw without scales. Colour: body with white background, 8or9 blue-edged orange vertical bars, 3 on head and rest on body; adults darker posteriorly and dorsally; caudal peduncle and anterior portion of caudal fin white, posterior edge of caudal fin red; dorsal and anal fins red, with blue edges; iris of eye red; teeth blue. Size: Maximum total length about 30 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found on coral reefs at depths of 5 to 30 m. Solitary in habit. Feeds mostly on hard-shelled prey including crustaceans, molluscs, and sea urchins. A highly popular aquarium fish due to its spectacular colours. Distribution: Disjunct distribu- tion, Ryukyu Islands to Taiwan Province of China in the north and New Caledonia to Queens- land in the south. Perciformes: Labroidei: Labridae 3421 Choerodon graphicus (De Vis, 1885) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Choerodon transversalis Whitley, 1956 / None. FAO names: En - Graphic tuskfish. Diagnostic characters: Body deep, its depth 2.6 to 2.8 times in standard length. Dorsal profile of head convexly curved above eyes; anterior tip of head forming a broad angle with snout steeply inclined; jaws prominent; 4 strong canines situated anteriorly in each jaw, second pair in lower jaw not directed laterally; an enlarged canine present on each side at rear of upper jaw. Dorsal fin continuous, with XIII spines and 7 soft rays; spines and anterior soft rays of similar length; anal fin with III spines and 10 soft rays; posterior dorsal and anal fins pointed; pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 16 or 17 branched rays; pelvic fins not filamentous; caudal fin rounded. Lateral line continuous, smoothly curved, with 29 pored scales. Scales barely reaching onto bases of dorsal and anal fins; scales in front of dorsal fin distinctly not extending forward to above eye; cheek and opercle scaly, scales on preopercle small, less 1/4 the size of those on body; lower jaw without scales. Colour: body mottled with yellow-brown ground colour and large dark brown blotches interconnected across body; scales of body each with a vertical blue line; an irregular black spot larger than eye on lateral line below base of seventh dorsal-fin spine, and a smaller black spot at rear base of dorsal fin; dark brown bands radiating from eye; dorsal, anal, and caudal fins dark blue-purple with vermiculating yellow lines. Size: Maximum total length about 46 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found on coral reefs, rubble, and sand bottoms at depths greater than 20 m. Solitary in habit. Feeds mostly on hard-shelled prey including crustaceans, molluscs, and sea urchins. May be taken by hook-and- line, with fish traps, or with spears by divers. Rarely found in markets. Distribution: New Caledonia to Queensland. 3422 Bony Fishes Choerodon schoenleini (Valenciennes, 1839) (Plate II, 13) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None. FAO names: En - Blackspot tuskfish. Diagnostic characters: Body deep, its depth 2.4 to 2.8 times in standard length. Dorsal profile of head convexly curved above eyes; anterior tip of head forming a broad angle with snout steeply inclined; jaws prominent; 4 strong canines situated anteriorly in each jaw, second pair in lower jaw not directed laterally; an enlarged canine present on each side at rear of upper jaw. Dorsal fin continuous, with XIII spines and 7 soft rays; the spines and anterior soft rays of similar length; anal fin with III spines and 10 soft rays; posterior dorsal and anal fins pointed; pectoral fins with ii unbranched and 16 or 17 branched rays; pelvic fins not filamentous; caudal fin truncate to slightly rounded. Lateral line continuous, smoothly curved, with 29 pored scales. Scales barely reaching onto bases of dorsal and anal fins; predorsal scales extending forward to above eye; cheek and opercle scaly, scales on preopercle small, less than 1/4 the size of those on body; lower jaw without scales. Colour: body green-grey and blue, shading to yellowish ventrally, with a prominent blue line on each scale, blue lines becoming spots posteriorly which coalesce to form blue longitudinal stripes on caudal peduncle; a black spot smaller than eye at base of last dorsal-fin spine; irregular blue bands extending posteriorly from eye, and 1 blue line from eye to snout; dorsal, anal, and pectoral fins grey-green with blue lines. Size: Maximum total length about 90 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: Found on deep coral reefs and lagoons, at depths of 10 to 20 m. Solitary in habit. Feeds mostly on hard-shelled prey including crustaceans, molluscs, and sea urchins. May be taken by hook-and-line, with fish traps, or with spears by divers. Marketed occasionally. Distribution: Western Pacific to Western Australia. Perciformes: Labroidei: Labridae 3423 Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura (Bleeker, 1851) (Plate II, 14) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: Cirrhilabrus solorensis Bleeker, 1853 / None. FAO names: En - Blueside wrasse. terminal phase Diagnostic characters: Body moderately slender, its depth 2.9 to 3.4 times in total length. Snout somewhat obtuse and short; maxilla reaching to a vertical between posterior nostril and orbit; 3 pairs of canine teeth anteriorly in upper jaw, the third pair largest and recurved; a single pair of canines in lower jaw, no tooth at corner of mouth; small, conical teeth in a single row medial to canines in both upper and lower jaws; tongue short and rounded. Posterior margin of preopercle serrate. Eye with modified scleral cornea forming a double pupil. Branchiostegal rays 5. Gill rakers 16 to 19. Dorsal fin with XI spines and 9 soft rays; anal fin with III spines and 9 soft rays; pectoral-fin rays usually 15; pelvic fins of adult males long, to 2.3 times in standard length; branched caudal-fin rays 11, caudal fin rounded in young, rhomboid in large males. Two rows of scales on cheek; snout, ventral portion of head, and interorbital space naked; predorsal scales 6 (rarely 5); lateral line interrupted, with 15 to 17 scales in anterior part and 5 to 8 in peduncular part; dorsal and anal fins with a row of elongate scales along base. Colour: initial phase reddish, shading to white ventrally on head and abdomen, with a small black spot posteriorly on upper side of caudal peduncle and a dark bar at pectoral-fin base and extending slightly below; red to blue dots often present on postorbital head, nape, and dorsoanteriorly on body; larger females lose the red colour, first becoming grey in and above pectoral region, then olivaceous with deep purple edges developing on scales of side posterior to pectoral fins; caudal peduncular spot small to absent, but diagonal pectoral-base bar now black and extending conspicuously below base. Males with region of pectoral fins and above dark blue-grey, some with a large bright yellow or orange area beneath pectoral fins; body reddish posteriorly with dark purple edges on a few to many scales (purple scale markings dark blue-green in preservative); head green to blue-green; lower fourth of head and body abruptly white. Size: Maximum total length about 15 cm. Habitat, biology, and fisheries: This species is found more often over rubble, sea grass, or sandy areas with low patch reefs than on well-developed coral reefs. Specimens have been collected in the depth range of 2 to 30 m. Feeds on zooplankton in the water column. Prized in the aquarium trade. Distribution: Ryukyu Islands, Taiwan Province of China, Phil- ippines, Palau, Indonesia, and Similan Islands, Andaman Sea, Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, and Great Barrier Reef. 3424 Bony Fishes Cirrhilabrus exquisitus Smith, 1957 (Plate II, 15) Frequent synonyms / misidentifications: None / None. FAO names: En - Exquisite wrasse. terminal phase Diagnostic characters: Body moderately slender, its depth 3.2 to 3.5 times in total length. Snout somewhat obtuse and short; maxilla reaching to a vertical between posterior nostril and orbit; 3 pairs of canine teeth anteriorly in upper jaw, the third pair largest and recurved; a single pair of canines in lower jaw, no tooth at corner of mouth; small, conical teeth in a single row medial to canines in both upper and lower jaws; tongue short and rounded. Posterior margin of preopercle serrate. Eye with modified scleral cornea forming a double pupil. Branchiostegal rays 5. Gill rakers 17 to 21. Dorsal fin with XI spines and 9 soft rays; anal fin with III spines and 9 soft rays; pectoral-fin rays usually 15; pelvic fins of adult males long, to 2.3 times in standard length; branched caudal-fin rays 11, caudal fin of small individuals slightly rounded to truncate, of adults double emarginate, the lobes somewhat prolonged in large males.