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.
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.
Behavioural data for Dusky wrasse is currently being reviewed.
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 .
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 m . Tropical; 31°N - 33°S, 33°E - 124°W south to Inhaca Island, Mozambique (Ref.
a wide variety of small invertebrates as well as fish eggs
| 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 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 |
The following diseases are known to affect Dusky wrasse.
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 29 records indexed .
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