Oxycheilinus mentalis

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Oxycheilinus mentalis
Oxycheilinus mentalis.png
Scientific classification Red Pencil Icon.png
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Labridae
Genus: Oxycheilinus
Species:
O. mentalis
Binomial name
Oxycheilinus mentalis
(Rüppell, 1828 )
Synonyms [2]

Cheilinus mentalis Rüppell, 1828

Oxycheilinus mentalis (mental wrasse) is a species of wrasse found in the Western Indian Ocean, in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. [2]

It has been known to change its colouration to match species of non-predatory parrotfish and surgeonfish. It then swims with these harmless model species and predates upon passing fish. This is a form of aggressive mimicry. [3] Without a model fish, the mental wrasse has a reddish pink colour.

Related Research Articles

False cleanerfish Species of fish

The false cleanerfish is a species of combtooth blenny, a mimic that copies both the dance and appearance of Labroides dimidiatus, a similarly colored species of cleaner wrasse. It likely mimics that species to avoid predation, as well to occasionally bite the fins of its victims rather than consume parasites. Most veiled attacks occur on juvenile fish, as adults that have been attacked in the past may avoid or even attack A. taeniatus.

<i>Notolabrus fucicola</i> Species of fish

Notolabrus fucicola, the banded parrotfish, blue wrasse, kelpie, New Zealand banded wrasse, purple parrotfish, saddled wrasse, Southern purple wrasse, Southern wrasse, winter bream or yellow-saddled wrasse, is a species of wrasse native to the eastern Indian Ocean, off eastern Australia and all around New Zealand on rocky, weedy reef areas. Aging work in New Zealand suggested these wrasses can live at least 35 years.

Girdled wrasse Species of fish

The girdled wrasse, Notolabrus cinctus, is a species of wrasse native to the waters around the South Island and southeastern North Island of New Zealand, including the Chatham Islands and Snares Islands, where it can be found at depths from 15 to 91 m. The males of this species can reach 29.9 cm (11.8 in) in standard length, while the females only reach 29.1 cm (11.5 in). There are two colour phases with older fish developing a large, dusky belt around the body. This is not associated with changing sex which happens about three years after the development of the belt. They feed on molluscs and small crustacea. They occur on rocky reefs, where they are common.

Sandagers wrasse Species of fish

Coris sandeyeri, Sandager's wrasse, is a species of wrasse native to the southwestern Pacific Ocean from Australia to New Zealand and the Kermadec Islands. This species can be found on reefs down to depths of about 60 metres (200 ft). It can reach a length of 25 centimetres (9.8 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.

Cleaner fish Fish that remove parasites and dead tissue from other species

Cleaner fish are fish that show a specialist feeding strategy by providing a service to other species, referred to as clients, by removing dead skin, ectoparasites, and infected tissue from the surface or gill chambers. This example of cleaning symbiosis represents mutualism and cooperation behaviour, an ecological interaction that benefits both parties involved. However, the cleaner fish may consume mucus or tissue, thus creating a form of parasitism called cheating. The client animals are typically fish of a different species, but can also be aquatic reptiles, mammals, or octopuses. A wide variety of fish including wrasse, cichlids, catfish, pipefish, lumpsuckers, and gobies display cleaning behaviors across the globe in fresh, brackish, and marine waters but specifically concentrated in the tropics due to high parasite density. Similar behaviour is found in other groups of animals, such as cleaner shrimps.

Christmas wrasse Species of fish

The Christmas wrasse, also known as the ladder wrasse, green-barred wrasse or green-blocked wrasse, is a species of ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae which is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It inhabits shallow reefs at depths from the surface to 10 m (33 ft). It is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and can be found in the aquarium trade.

Exquisite wrasse Species of fish

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.

Eight-lined wrasse Species of fish

The eight-lined wrasse is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae, which is native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It occurs on coral reefs at depths from 2 to 50 m, preferring to shelter in niches and caves. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.

Striated wrasse Species of fish

The striated wrasse, also known as the disappearing wrasse, pinstripe wrasse or scarlet wrasse, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. It has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.

Six-line wrasse Species of fish

The six-line wrasse is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae which has a wide Indo-Pacific distribution. This species is associated with coral reefs and can be found in the aquarium trade.

Sling-jaw wrasse Species of fish

The slingjaw wrasse, Epibulus insidiator, is a species of wrasse from the family Labridae which is native to the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific where it occurs around coral reefs. This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and can be found in the aquarium trade. Relatively unassuming at first glance, this fish is notable for its highly protrusible jaws.

Surge wrasse Species of fish

The surge wrasse, also known as the green-blocked wrasse, purple wrasse or red and green wrasse, is a species of wrasse native to the southeast Atlantic Ocean through the Indian and Pacific Oceans, where it inhabits reefs and rocky coastlines in areas of heavy wave action at depths from the surface to 10 m (33 ft). This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries, is popular as a game fish, and can be found in the aquarium trade.

Bluestriped fangblenny Species of fish

Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos, commonly called the bluestriped fangblenny, is a species of combtooth blenny found in coral reefs in the Pacific and Indian ocean. This species reaches a length of 12 centimetres (4.7 in) SL. It is also known as the bluestriped blenny, bluestriped sabretooth blenny, blunt-nose blenny, cleaner mimic, tube-worm blenny or the two-stripe blenny. They hide in deserted worm tubes or other small holes.

Red-lined wrasse Species of fish

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.

Slender grouper Genus of fish

The slender grouper is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a grouper from the subfamily Epinephelinae which is part of the family Serranidae, which also includes the anthias and sea basses. It is the only species in the genus Anyperodon. It is found in the Indo-Pacific region.

Creole wrasse Species of fish

The creole wrasse is a species of wrasse native to the western Atlantic Ocean.

<i>Oxycheilinus</i> Genus of fishes

Oxycheilinus is a genus of fish in the family Labridae found in the Indian and Pacific Ocean.

Chiseltooth wrasse Species of fish

The chiseltooth wrasse is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It is an inhabitant of coral reefs and can be found at depths from 3 to 60 m, though rarely deeper than 40 m (130 ft). This species grows to 30 cm (12 in) in total length. It is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and can be found in the aquarium trade. P. moluccanus is the only known member of its genus.

Latent sling-jaw wrasse Species of fish

Latent sling-jaw wrasse is a species of ray-finned fish from the wrasse Family Labridae which is associated with reefs in the south-western Pacific Ocean.

Bleeding wrasse Species of fish

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.

References

  1. Liu, M.; To, A. (2010). "Oxycheilinus mentalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2010: e.T187735A8616212. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187735A8616212.en . Retrieved 20 November 2021.
  2. 1 2 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). "Oxycheilinus mentalis" in FishBase. August 2019 version.
  3. Randall, J. E. (2005). A review of mimicry in marine fishes. Zoological Studies, 44(3), 299–328.