| Checkerboard wrasse | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Labriformes |
| Family: | Labridae |
| Genus: | Halichoeres |
| Species: | H. hortulanus |
| Binomial name | |
| Halichoeres hortulanus (Lacépède, 1801) | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
The checkerboard wrasse (Halichoeres hortulanus) is a fish belonging to the wrasse family. It is native to the area including the Indian Ocean to central Pacific Ocean.
The checkerboard wrasse is a small sized fish that can reach a maximum length of 27 centimetres (11 in). Both its sex and appearance change during its life, and the colouring at each stage is rather variable based on location. The body is thin, relatively lengthened and its mouth is terminal. [2]
At juvenile stage, this wrasse has a white silvery background color with three black and dark red vertical patches from back head, middle of the body and on the caudal peduncle. A black ocellus with a yellow ring adorns the rear of the dorsal fin, two distinctive white spots are also visible on top and bottom of the caudal peduncle. Also a reddish line passes through the eyes starting from tip of the snout.[ citation needed ]
In the terminal phase (after gender has been determined at maturity), there is a large variation of coloration. The checkerboard wrasse has a white to greenish background coloration with blue to black on the edge of its scales, reminiscent of a checkerboard pattern. The head is greenish with pink lines stretching to dots behind the eyes until the base of dorsal fin. A bright yellow spot appears at the border of the side and the dorsal fin. Some color variation occur with a possible black spot just behind the characteristic first yellow spot, and a second bright yellow spot can be seen along the edge of the dorsal fin but at the end of this later. In the Red Sea, half the back of some individuals may be colored blue. The caudal fin is truncated and usually yellow with a pinkish pattern, which can be faded or completely blue.[ citation needed ]
The checkerboard wrasse is widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean, from the Red Sea to South Africa, to the oceanic islands (French Polynesia) from central Pacific Ocean. The northern limit is the south of Japan and the southern limit is the Great Barrier Reef. [3] [4]
It is usually found in clear lagoons and on seaward reefs at depths from 1 to 30 m (3.3 to 98.4 ft). [5] Juveniles are found at the bottom of surge channels or under ledges. [3]
The checkerboard wrasse is a predator that feeds mainly on small invertebrates such as crustaceans, molluscs, worms, echinoderms captured on the substrate or in the sand. [6]
Like many other wrasses, the checkerboard wrasse is a protogynous hermaphrodite, starting life as a female and later becoming a male, changing sex at maturity when it is about 12.8 cm (5.0 in) long. [2] [7]
This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and it is targeted for the aquarium trade, but it is not thought to be a major threat. This species is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. [1]
The black-blotched porcupinefish, also known as shortspine porcupinefish, is a member of the family Diodontidae. It is found in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific on coral and rocky reefs and in inshore waters. Other names are the blotched porcupinefish and the brown-backed porcupinefish.
The spot-fin porcupinefish, also known as the spotted porcupinefish, black-spotted porcupinefish or simply porcupinefish, is a member of the family Diodontidae.
The goldsinny wrasse is a species of ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae which is native to the eastern Atlantic Ocean and associated seas. This species is the only known member of its genus.
Novaculichthys taeniourus, also known as the rockmover wrasse, carpet wrasse, dragon wrasse, bar-cheeked wrasse, olive-scribbled wrasse or reindeer wrasse, is a species of wrasse mainly found in coral reefs and lagoons in the Indo-Pacific region. These include habitats in the Gulf of California to Panama; tropical Pacific Ocean islands including Hawaii; the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia; and the Indian Ocean to the east coast of Africa. The common name, "rockmover wrasse", comes from their behavior of upending small stones and reef fragments in search of prey. This species is the only known member of its genus.
The exquisite wrasse is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses, which is native to reefs in the Indo-West Pacific region. It can be found in the aquarium trade.
Halichoeres chrysus, commonly called the canary wrasse, golden wrasse or yellow wrasse, is a fish species in the wrasse family native to central Indo-Pacific area.
The barred thicklip wrasse is a species of fish belonging to the wrasse family, native from the Indo-Pacific.
The yellowhead wrasse is a fish species belonging to wrasse family native to shallow tropical waters in the Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean.
The red-lined wrasse, two-spotted wrasse or biocellated wrasse, Halichoeres biocellatus, is a species of wrasse native to shallow tropical waters in the western Pacific Ocean.
Halichoeres leucoxanthus, commonly called the Canarytop wrasse, Whitebelly wrasse, or Lemon meringue wrasse, is a fish species in the wrasse family endemic to the Indian Ocean.
The blackeye thicklip wrasse or half-and-half wrasse is a species of fish belonging to the wrasse family. It is native to the Indo-Pacific.
Halichoeres prosopeion, commonly called the twotone wrasse, half-grey wrasse or zig-zag wrasse, is a fish species in the wrasse family native to the western Pacific Ocean.
Halichoeres richmondi, commonly called the Richmond's wrasse or chain-lined wrasse, is a fish species in the wrasse family native from the central Indo-Pacific.
Halichoeres scapularis, commonly called the Zigzag wrasse , is a fish species in the wrasse family native from the Indo-West Pacific.
The blackear wrasse is a species of wrasse, a type of fish in the family Labridae, from the warmer waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.
The lemon-striped pygmy hogfish is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. This species is found on reefs in the Coral Sea off the coast of Queensland and in French Polynesia.
Hologymnosus longipes, the sidespot longface wrasse or the plain slender wrasse, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. It occurs in the western Pacific Ocean.
The bleeding wrasse is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. It is found in reefs in the eastern central Pacific Ocean.
Pseudocoris heteroptera, the torpedo wrasse or zebra wrasse, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean where it is associated with reefs.
Symphodus caeruleus is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae. It is endemic to the Azores in the eastern Atlantic Ocean.
