Clown coris

Clown coris
Male (terminal phase)
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Labriformes
Family:	Labridae
Genus:	Coris
Species:	C. aygula
Binomial name
Coris aygula Lacépède, 1801
Synonyms [2]
List Coris angulataLacépède, 1801 Labrus cingulumLacépède, 1801 Hemicoris cingulum(Lacépède, 1801) Julis cingulum(Lacépède, 1801) Labrus aureomaculatus J.W. Bennett, 1830 Julis ruppelii E. T. Bennett, 1831 Julis gibbifrons Quoy & Gaimard, 1834 Julis semipunctatus Rüppell, 1835 Julis coris Valenciennes, 1839 Coris cyanea Macleay, 1883 Coris variegata Ramsay & Ogilby, 1887 Coris imbris Tanaka, 1918

The clown coris (Coris aygula), also known as the clown wrasse, false clownwrasse, humphead wrasse, hump-headed wrasse, red-blotched rainbowfish or twinspot wrasse, ^[3] is a species of wrasse native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.

Distribution

In the Indian Ocean, C. aygula can be found from the Red Sea and the African coast eastward to the Line Islands and Ducie Island of the Pacific Ocean. Its Pacific range also extends to southern Japan to Lord Howe Island. ^[2]

Description

This species can reach a total length of 120 cm (47 in). A marked difference in appearance and coloration is noted between juveniles and adults: juveniles are white and orange with false eyes on the dorsal fin, while adults are uniformly dark green or with light banding. ^[2] Adults also develop a prominent, projecting forehead. ^[2]

Juvenile

Female

Male (terminal phase)

Habitat

C. aygula is an inhabitant of coral reefs where they prefer areas of rubble or sandy bottoms at depths from 2 to 30 m (6.6 to 98.4 ft), though juveniles can often be found in tide pools. They are generally solitary as adults. ^[2]

Ecology

Studies at Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia show that clown coris are important predators of the burrowing urchin, which the fish feed upon by crushing the urchin in their jaws. ^[4] In the Red Sea, however, clown coris have been observed preying on long-spined Diadema urchins by picking them up and bashing them apart against large rocks, rather than using their jaws outright. ^[5]

Gallery

• 
  Juvenile
• 
  Transitioning from juvenile to adult female colours
• 
  Female
• 
  Male

References

1. Choat, J.H.; Pollard, D. (2010). "Coris aygula". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010 e.T187802A8632709. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187802A8632709.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Coris aygula". FishBase . August 2013 version.
3. Bray, D.J. (2017). "Coris aygula". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 5 January 2020.
4. Johansson, C. L.; Bellwood, D. R.; Depczynski, M.; Hoey, A. S. (2013-04-01). "The distribution of the sea urchin Echinometra mathaei (de Blainville) and its predators on Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia: The implications for top-down control in an intact reef system". Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 442: 39–46. doi:10.1016/j.jembe.2013.01.027. ISSN   0022-0981.
5. Fricke, H. W. (1973-03-01). "Behaviour as part of ecological adaptation". Helgoländer wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen. 24 (1): 120–144. doi:10.1007/BF01609505. ISSN   1438-3888.

External links

• Photos of Clown coris in the Sealife Collection