2b Adults without prominent hump on forehead;
colour not as in 2a; maximum length 40 cm ............................. 3
3a Dorsal profile of head from mouth to above eye
concave; C always rounded; a pair of prominent
dark brown spots anteriorly on upper lip; no bars
on body ........................................................ C. oxycephalus
3b Dorsal profile of head from mouth to above eye
straight or convex; C rounded, truncate or double
emarginate; no prominent dark brown spots anteriorly
on upper lip; bars on body present or absent ........................... 4
4a Body depth 2.3-2.6 in SL; C rounded, becoming
trilobed in adult males (a broad rounded central
lobe and filamentous upper and lower lobes); body
olivaceous with a vertical red line on each scale;
head and chest with numerous small red spots and
red lines radiating anteriorly from eye...................... C. trilobatus
4b Depth of body 2.6-3.3 in SL; C variable in shape,
but not trilobed; colour not as in 4a ....................................... 5
5a C of adults emarginate, the lobes of large fish
prolonged; body blackish with narrow whitish bars;
adults with a broad orange-red zone on rear of head
and anteriorly on body; C with a transverse
blackish bar, the posterior margin broadly
blackish ........................................................... [c. fasciatus 1
5b C of adults rounded (though may have prolonged
lobes), truncate, or slightly double emarginate;
colour not as in 5a ............................................................. 6
6a C strongly rounded in juveniles; in large adults,
upper and some median C rays elongated, giving
ragged effect; small dark spot behind eye and a
large diffuse one on side of body behind P;
orange-red lines radiating from eye; a small
species, reaching about 15 cm ............................. C. bimaculatus
6b C slightly rounded to slightly emarginate; no
dark spots on head or body; diagonal red to maroon
lines on lower cheek; attains 35 cm ........................ C. digrammus
220.11 Cheilinus bimaculatus
Valenciennes, 1840
PLATE 90
Two-spot wrasse
Tweekol-lipvis
Cheilinus bimaculatus Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1840: 96
(Hawaiian Ids.); Smith, SFSA No. 815*.
D IX,9-11; A III,8; P 12-13; LL (14-16)+(5-7); head scaled dorsally to
above middle of eyes; body depth 2.7-3.0 in SL; dorsal profile of head convex (snout nearly straight, nape more convex); mouth terminal or with
lower jaw slightly projecting; a single canine tooth anteriorly on each side
of jaws, with a row of conical teeth on side of jaws; no posterior canine
(dentition comparable in other Cheilinus); C strongly rounded in
juveniles, the upper and some middle rays prolonged in adults. V short.
Yellowish brown to greenish, the young with a broad, dark, lateral stripe
which breaks into blotches in adults, the largest above distal part of P; a
small dark spot behind eye; irregular orange-red spots and short lines on
head, many radiating from eye; median fins with an orange, lace-like network; a dark brown spot on 1st interspinous membrane of D.
Attains about 15 cm. Indo-Pacific south to Sodwana Bay.
Often found on substrata of thick algal growth or in seagrass
beds.
220: LABRIDAE (WRASSES)
220.12 Cheilinus chlorourus
(Bloch,1791)
PLATE 94
Floral wrasse
Blommetjie-lipvis
Sparus chlorourus Bloch, 1791: 24, PI. 260 (Japan). Thalliurus
chlorurus: Smith, SFSA No. 818*.
D X,9; A III,8; P 12; LL 15+(5-8); head scaled dorsally to above front
of eyes; body depth 2.3-2.8 in SL; dorsal profile straight on snout, becoming convex on rest of head and nape; mouth terminal or with lower jaw
slightly projecting; C strongly rounded, the upper and to a lesser extent
the lower rays prolonged in large adults; V of adults with 1st ray elongate,
reaching posterior to anus. Body brown to olivaceous, sometimes faintly
dark-blotched, with numerous, small whitish to orange-pink spots; head
with small orange-red spots or short irregular lines (may be dark-edged);
median fins and V with numerous whitish dots; a dusky blotch on first 2 interspinous membranes of D; juveniles with dark lines around eye and scattered small black spots on body.
Largest examined, 36 cm. Indo-Pacific south to Sodwana
Bay.
220.13 Cheilinus digrammus
(Lacepede, 1801)
PLATE 94
Cheeklined wrasse
Streepwang-lipvis
Labrus digramma Lacepede, 1801: 448, 517, PI. 1, Fig. 2 (Indian
Ocean). Cheilinus diagrammus: Smith, SFSA No. 817*.
D IX,lO; A III,8; P 12; LL (15-16)+(7-8); head scaled dorsally to above
middle of eyes; body depth 2.8-3.3 in SL; profile of head slightly concave
to above eye, then convex; lower jaw projecting; C slightly rounded to
truncate or slightly double emarginate; V short. Colour reddish brown to
olivaceous, sometimes with broad stripes on body; a series of parallel
diagonal red to maroon lines on lower posterior part of operculum;
orange-red lines extending from eye (except ventrally); C peduncle and C
often green.
Reaches 35 cm. Central Oceania to Red Sea and south to
Natal. A striking and easily identified coral-reef species;
feeds in part on small fishes.
220.14 Cheilinus oxycephalus
Bleeker, 1853
PLATE 94
Snooty wrasse
Snob-lipvis
Cheilinus oxycephalus Bleeker, 1853: 349 (Ambon); Smith, 1957: 109
(Mozambique) .
D IX,lO; A III,8; P 12; LL (15-16)+(6-7). Head scaled to above middle
of eyes; dorsal profile from mouth to above eyes concave; body depth
2.4-3.0 in SL; mouth terminal or witli lower jaw slightly projecting; C
rounded in all stages. Brownish red, mottled with small whitish spots; a
dark brown spot anteriorly on each side of upper lip; often 2 dark lines diverging posteriorly from eye; a row of 3 small dark spots midi ate rally on
rear half of body on juveniles and subadults; dark brown spot on 1st 2 D
membranes.
Reaches 17 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Natal. A wary and
secretive species of coral reefs.
689
colour not as in 2a; maximum length 40 cm ............................. 3
3a Dorsal profile of head from mouth to above eye
concave; C always rounded; a pair of prominent
dark brown spots anteriorly on upper lip; no bars
on body ........................................................ C. oxycephalus
3b Dorsal profile of head from mouth to above eye
straight or convex; C rounded, truncate or double
emarginate; no prominent dark brown spots anteriorly
on upper lip; bars on body present or absent ........................... 4
4a Body depth 2.3-2.6 in SL; C rounded, becoming
trilobed in adult males (a broad rounded central
lobe and filamentous upper and lower lobes); body
olivaceous with a vertical red line on each scale;
head and chest with numerous small red spots and
red lines radiating anteriorly from eye...................... C. trilobatus
4b Depth of body 2.6-3.3 in SL; C variable in shape,
but not trilobed; colour not as in 4a ....................................... 5
5a C of adults emarginate, the lobes of large fish
prolonged; body blackish with narrow whitish bars;
adults with a broad orange-red zone on rear of head
and anteriorly on body; C with a transverse
blackish bar, the posterior margin broadly
blackish ........................................................... [c. fasciatus 1
5b C of adults rounded (though may have prolonged
lobes), truncate, or slightly double emarginate;
colour not as in 5a ............................................................. 6
6a C strongly rounded in juveniles; in large adults,
upper and some median C rays elongated, giving
ragged effect; small dark spot behind eye and a
large diffuse one on side of body behind P;
orange-red lines radiating from eye; a small
species, reaching about 15 cm ............................. C. bimaculatus
6b C slightly rounded to slightly emarginate; no
dark spots on head or body; diagonal red to maroon
lines on lower cheek; attains 35 cm ........................ C. digrammus
220.11 Cheilinus bimaculatus
Valenciennes, 1840
PLATE 90
Two-spot wrasse
Tweekol-lipvis
Cheilinus bimaculatus Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1840: 96
(Hawaiian Ids.); Smith, SFSA No. 815*.
D IX,9-11; A III,8; P 12-13; LL (14-16)+(5-7); head scaled dorsally to
above middle of eyes; body depth 2.7-3.0 in SL; dorsal profile of head convex (snout nearly straight, nape more convex); mouth terminal or with
lower jaw slightly projecting; a single canine tooth anteriorly on each side
of jaws, with a row of conical teeth on side of jaws; no posterior canine
(dentition comparable in other Cheilinus); C strongly rounded in
juveniles, the upper and some middle rays prolonged in adults. V short.
Yellowish brown to greenish, the young with a broad, dark, lateral stripe
which breaks into blotches in adults, the largest above distal part of P; a
small dark spot behind eye; irregular orange-red spots and short lines on
head, many radiating from eye; median fins with an orange, lace-like network; a dark brown spot on 1st interspinous membrane of D.
Attains about 15 cm. Indo-Pacific south to Sodwana Bay.
Often found on substrata of thick algal growth or in seagrass
beds.
220: LABRIDAE (WRASSES)
220.12 Cheilinus chlorourus
(Bloch,1791)
PLATE 94
Floral wrasse
Blommetjie-lipvis
Sparus chlorourus Bloch, 1791: 24, PI. 260 (Japan). Thalliurus
chlorurus: Smith, SFSA No. 818*.
D X,9; A III,8; P 12; LL 15+(5-8); head scaled dorsally to above front
of eyes; body depth 2.3-2.8 in SL; dorsal profile straight on snout, becoming convex on rest of head and nape; mouth terminal or with lower jaw
slightly projecting; C strongly rounded, the upper and to a lesser extent
the lower rays prolonged in large adults; V of adults with 1st ray elongate,
reaching posterior to anus. Body brown to olivaceous, sometimes faintly
dark-blotched, with numerous, small whitish to orange-pink spots; head
with small orange-red spots or short irregular lines (may be dark-edged);
median fins and V with numerous whitish dots; a dusky blotch on first 2 interspinous membranes of D; juveniles with dark lines around eye and scattered small black spots on body.
Largest examined, 36 cm. Indo-Pacific south to Sodwana
Bay.
220.13 Cheilinus digrammus
(Lacepede, 1801)
PLATE 94
Cheeklined wrasse
Streepwang-lipvis
Labrus digramma Lacepede, 1801: 448, 517, PI. 1, Fig. 2 (Indian
Ocean). Cheilinus diagrammus: Smith, SFSA No. 817*.
D IX,lO; A III,8; P 12; LL (15-16)+(7-8); head scaled dorsally to above
middle of eyes; body depth 2.8-3.3 in SL; profile of head slightly concave
to above eye, then convex; lower jaw projecting; C slightly rounded to
truncate or slightly double emarginate; V short. Colour reddish brown to
olivaceous, sometimes with broad stripes on body; a series of parallel
diagonal red to maroon lines on lower posterior part of operculum;
orange-red lines extending from eye (except ventrally); C peduncle and C
often green.
Reaches 35 cm. Central Oceania to Red Sea and south to
Natal. A striking and easily identified coral-reef species;
feeds in part on small fishes.
220.14 Cheilinus oxycephalus
Bleeker, 1853
PLATE 94
Snooty wrasse
Snob-lipvis
Cheilinus oxycephalus Bleeker, 1853: 349 (Ambon); Smith, 1957: 109
(Mozambique) .
D IX,lO; A III,8; P 12; LL (15-16)+(6-7). Head scaled to above middle
of eyes; dorsal profile from mouth to above eyes concave; body depth
2.4-3.0 in SL; mouth terminal or witli lower jaw slightly projecting; C
rounded in all stages. Brownish red, mottled with small whitish spots; a
dark brown spot anteriorly on each side of upper lip; often 2 dark lines diverging posteriorly from eye; a row of 3 small dark spots midi ate rally on
rear half of body on juveniles and subadults; dark brown spot on 1st 2 D
membranes.
Reaches 17 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Natal. A wary and
secretive species of coral reefs.
689