Peacock Wrasse

Max length : 42.0 cm TL male/unsexed

Family	Labridae
Description	Wrasses
Environment	Marine
Etymology	Latin, labrum = lip or edge; = furious
Genus	71
No. of Species	521
Order	Perciformes
Class	Actinopterygii
Reproductive Guild	Mixed
Distribution	Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific. Protrusible mouth. Most jaw teeth with gaps between them; teeth usually jutting outward. Dorsal fin 8-21 spines (usually less than15), 6-21 soft rays. Anal fin 4-6 spines (often 3), 7-18 soft rays. Cycloid scales, generally large to moderate, 25-80 along the side (may be small and over 100 if small. Lateral line interrupted or continuous. Vertebrae 23-42. Snout elongated in the genus Gomphosus. Size, shape and color very diversified. Most species are sand burrowers; carnivores on benthic invertebrates; also planktivores, and some small species remove ectoparasites of larger fishes. Most species change color and sex with growth, from an initial phase (IP) of both males and females, the latter able to change sex into an often brilliantly colored terminal male phase (TP). Males dominate several females; all Indo-Pacific species are pelagic spawners. Most species do well in aquaria, and young Coris are particularly popular. Maximum length about 2.3 m, many are less than 15 cm, the shortest being 4.5 cm. Medium to large species are important food fishes.

Nabeta, Peacock Razorfish

Usually solitary in lagoon and seaward reef areas with fine to loose, coarse sand bottoms. Juveniles sometimes in shallow estuaries. Adults rare in less than 20 m. Benthic and benthopelagic. Dives into sand to sleep safely at night or to hide when alarmed. Feed on hard-shelled invertebrates, including mollusks and crustaceans. Juveniles mimic drifting dead leaves by holding the elongate detached front part of dorsal fin forward over head.

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-13; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 12 - 13. Identified by the dark vertical bar below the eye. Usually with 5 dark bars when adult and belly of female turns red. Juveniles with black anal fin and two large ocelli, thinly edged with white, in dorsal fin. First two dorsal spines form a separate fin. Juveniles this fin forms a long, bannerlike filament but shortens with age

Distinct pairing during breeding

Summary of Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to the Society Islands, north to southern Japan and Hawaii, south to the Lord Howe Island. Eastern Pacific: Gulf of California to Panama and the Galapagos Islands
Note: Distribution range colors indicate degree of suitability of habitat which can be interpreted as probabilities of occurrence (fishbase.org)