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🌊 Marine Least Concern 🐠 Aquarium 🌡️ Tropical

Dusky wrasse

Halichoeres marginatus Rüppell, 1835
Max Length
18 cm
Max Weight
-
Lifespan
-
Trophic Level
3.2
Depth
0–30 m
Climate
Tropical
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
20.00/100
Typical Length
-
Depth Zone
reef

📖 Overview

Inhabit lagoon and seaward reefs, along the upper edges of coral-rich areas . Benthopelagic . May be solitary or found in small group . Juveniles are encountered in exposed outer reef flats . Feed on a wide variety of small invertebrates as well as fish eggs.

Scientific Name
Halichoeres marginatus
Authority
Rüppell, 1835
Habitat
Marine
Climate
Tropical
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
IUCN Status
LC
Max Length
18 cm
Depth Range
0–30 m
Latitude
33°S – 31°N
Trophic Level
3.2
Resilience
High
Vulnerability
20.00/100
Salinity
30–40 ppt

🐟 Physical Description

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 12 - 13. Juveniles are black with numerous longitudinal white streaks .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.

🌀 Behaviour

Behavioural data for Dusky wrasse is currently being reviewed.

🦐 Diet

aquatic invertebrates
small fish
algae
detritus

🥚 Reproduction

Spawn Location
Pelagic
Size at Maturity
7cm TL

Pelagic spawner. Females migrate to spawning sites, larger females travel long distances to downcurrent areas than smaller ones to protect the eggs from becoming prey to larger reef fishes . Spawning sites are chosen by the females irregardless of the males occupying them . Females spawn in more than one spawning site, each site occupied by more than one male, which are either territorial or non-territorial . After spawning, they return individually to their home ranges without passing through other spawning sites . Some females on the other hand change sex after spawning . As males, they begin to establish territories in the spawning sites, even to those they visited before the sex change . This observation support the suggestion (Warner's 1985, 1986) that females stored information on spawning sites by migrating to various sites which aided in the acquisition of a mating territory after changing sex .

🌍 Habitat & Distribution

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 m . Tropical; 31°N - 33°S, 33°E - 124°W south to Inhaca Island, Mozambique (Ref.

🌿 Ecology

Zone Preferences
🌊 Marine 🪸 Reef Associated
Trophic Level
3.2±0.2
🧍 Solitary
Food Items

a wide variety of small invertebrates as well as fish eggs

📐 Morphometrics

Length–Weight Relationship: W = 0.01072 × L3.15 (TL)
Max TL
18cm
Dorsal Spines
9
Dorsal Rays
14
Anal Spines
3
Anal Rays
13

🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance

Salinity Range
30–40ppt

🛡️ Conservation Assessment

IUCN Category
Least Concern
Assessment Date
2009

📊 Population Risk & Fisheries

Population Resilience
High
Minimum doubling time
Fishing Vulnerability
20.00/100
Low vulnerability
Trophic Level
3.2
Predator
Body Shape
Fusiform / normal
Climate Zone
Tropical
Latitude Range
31°N – 33°S
Described By
Rüppell, 1835

🌐 Names & Taxonomy

Language Common Names
🇬🇧English Dusky wrasse · Dusky-wrasse · Marginated wrasse · Red Sea Dusky Wrasse · saddled rainbowfish · Speckled Rainbowfish · splendid rainbow wrasse · Two-eyed Wrasse
🇸🇦Arabic سماك قوس قزح المرقط
🌍CES kněžík temný
🇩🇪German Prachtregenbogenlippfisch
🌍FIJ drividrivi
🇫🇷French Girelle arc-en-ciel · Labre bordé · Labre obscur de mer Rouge
🇮🇹Italian Labro scuro
🇯🇵Japanese Kanokobera · カノコベラ
🇵🇹Portuguese Bodião-sombrio
🌍TAH po'ou
🌍TGL Bankilan · Bunak · Bungat · Isdang bato · Mameng
🇨🇳Chinese 白雪儒艮鯛 · 綠鰭儒艮鯛 · 緣鰭海豬魚 · 黑青汕冷

Scientific Synonyms

Scientific Name Author Year Status
Halichoeres ianthinus Fourmanoir 1955 Synonym
Halichoeres lamarii Valenciennes 1839 Synonym
Halichoeres notopsis Valenciennes 1839 Synonym
Halichoeres virescens Fourmanoir & Guézé 1961 Synonym
Julis annularis Valenciennes 1839 Synonym
Julis lamarii Valenciennes 1839 Synonym
Julis notopsis Valenciennes 1839 Synonym
Julis phaiopus Bleeker 1853 Synonym
Platyglossus metager Day 1888 Synonym

🗺️ Global Occurrence Map

Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 29 records indexed .

Occurrence density from GBIF View GBIF records ↗

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