220: LABRIDAE (WRASSES)
220.15 Cheilinus trilobatus
Lacepede, 1801
PLATES 90 & 95
Tripletail wrasse
Driestert-lipvis
Cheilinus trilobatus Lacepede, 1801: 526, 529, 537, PI. 4, Fig. 3
(Reunion, Mauritius and Madagascar); Smith, SFSA No. 816*.
D IX,lO; A III,8; P 12; LL (14-16)+(7-8); GR 10-11; head scaled dorsally to above middle of eyes; body depth 2.3-2.6 in SL; dorsal profile of
head straight to above eye, then slightly convex; mouth terminal or with
lower jaw slightly projecting; C rounded, the upper and lower rays of
adult males prolonged, giving the fin a trilobed shape; posterior D and A
of large adults elongate, extending beyond base of C; V of adults long,
reaching beyond anus. Olivaceous with a vertical red line on each body
scale; head and chest with numerous small red spots and short irregular
lines; red lines radiating anteriorly from eye.
Attains 40 cm. Indo-Pacific; not once reported south of
Sodwana Bay. The report by Smith (1964: 296) of 2
juveniles from a depth of 405 m off Durban is probably
based on erroneous locality data. Found on coral reefs and
adjacent habitats near reefs. Feeds principally on small
fishes, crustaceans and molluscs.
220.15 Cheilinus trilobatus: 40 em (N. Mozambique).
220.16 Cheilinus undulatus
Ruppeli,1835
PLATE 95
Humphead wrasse
Ramkop-lipvis
Cheilinus undu/atus Riipl'ell, 1835: 20, PI. 6, Fig. 2 (Red Sea); Smith,
SFSA No. 817a*; Randall, 1983: 112*.
D IX,lO; A III,8; P 12; LL (14-16)+(7-8); body depth 2.3-2.7 in SL;
dorsal profile of head straight to eye, then becoming convex; adults
develop a large, fleshy hump on forehead; mouth terminal; C rounded;
posterior part of D and A of adults elongate, extending beyond C base; V
of adults reaching past anus. Juveniles pale greenish with elongate dark
spots on scales of body tending to form bars; 2 black lines posteriorly from
220.16 Cheilinus undulatus: 17.5 em (N. Mozambique).
690
eye; adult body with irregular greenish yellow and greenish grey vertical
lines, each grey line posterior to P broadening to a vertical spindle-shaped
band on each scale; head with a highly irregular reticulum of dull orange
and green; median fins finely banded; the posterior margin of C broadly
pale yellowish.
Reported to reach a length of 2.29 m and weigh 190 kg.
Indo-Pacific, south to Inhaca Id. Feeds on a variety of molluscs, sea urchins and other echinoderms, crustaceans and
fishes, including sand-dwelling types.
Genus Cheilio Lacepede, 1801
A single wide-ranging Indo-Pacific species.
Cigar wrasse
220.17 Cheilio inermis
(Forsskal,1775)
PLATE 95
Sigaar-lipvis
Labrus inermis Forsskal, 1775: 34 (Red Sea). Cheilio inermis: Smith,
SFSA No. 770*; Randall, 1983: 125*.
D IX, 12-14; A III, 11-12; P 12; LL 45-59, gently curved; head naked except for 1 row of scales on preopercle and a few on upper part of opercle;
body very elongate and little compressed, depth 5.5-8.0 in SL; snout
length about 2.3 in head; a pair of canine teeth anteriorly in jaws followed
by a row of small conical teeth; C rounded. Colour variable, from yellowish to green or brown, often with a midlateral dark stripe; males with a
few small orange to pink and often black spots in a group dorsally on side
of body in region of P.
Attains 50 cm. Indo-Pacific from Easter Id. to Red Sea,
south to Transkei. Typically found in seagrasses or dense
beds of algae.
220.17 Cheilio inermis: 25 em (N. Mozambique; plain yellow with dark spots
as shown).
Genus Choerodon Bleeker, 1847
This genus consists of 25 species, all Indo-Pacific; 1 in our
area.
220.18 Choerodon gymnogenys
(Gunther, 1867)
PLATE 94
Purplelined wrasse
Perslyn-lipvis
Xiphochilus gymnogenys Giinther, in Playfair & Giinther, 1867: 85, PI.
12, Fig. 4 (Zanzibar). Pea%pesia gymnogenys: Smith, SFSA No. 776a*;
1953: 520*. ? Pea%pesia matthaei: Smith, 1957: 101; 1961: 569, No. 776a*.
D XII,8; AIII,lO; PI4-15; LL 29, gently curved; large scales on opercle
but small scales on preopercle; body depth about 3.0 in SL; mouth terminal; 2 pairs of long stout canine teeth anteriorly in jaws followed by a row
220.15 Cheilinus trilobatus
Lacepede, 1801
PLATES 90 & 95
Tripletail wrasse
Driestert-lipvis
Cheilinus trilobatus Lacepede, 1801: 526, 529, 537, PI. 4, Fig. 3
(Reunion, Mauritius and Madagascar); Smith, SFSA No. 816*.
D IX,lO; A III,8; P 12; LL (14-16)+(7-8); GR 10-11; head scaled dorsally to above middle of eyes; body depth 2.3-2.6 in SL; dorsal profile of
head straight to above eye, then slightly convex; mouth terminal or with
lower jaw slightly projecting; C rounded, the upper and lower rays of
adult males prolonged, giving the fin a trilobed shape; posterior D and A
of large adults elongate, extending beyond base of C; V of adults long,
reaching beyond anus. Olivaceous with a vertical red line on each body
scale; head and chest with numerous small red spots and short irregular
lines; red lines radiating anteriorly from eye.
Attains 40 cm. Indo-Pacific; not once reported south of
Sodwana Bay. The report by Smith (1964: 296) of 2
juveniles from a depth of 405 m off Durban is probably
based on erroneous locality data. Found on coral reefs and
adjacent habitats near reefs. Feeds principally on small
fishes, crustaceans and molluscs.
220.15 Cheilinus trilobatus: 40 em (N. Mozambique).
220.16 Cheilinus undulatus
Ruppeli,1835
PLATE 95
Humphead wrasse
Ramkop-lipvis
Cheilinus undu/atus Riipl'ell, 1835: 20, PI. 6, Fig. 2 (Red Sea); Smith,
SFSA No. 817a*; Randall, 1983: 112*.
D IX,lO; A III,8; P 12; LL (14-16)+(7-8); body depth 2.3-2.7 in SL;
dorsal profile of head straight to eye, then becoming convex; adults
develop a large, fleshy hump on forehead; mouth terminal; C rounded;
posterior part of D and A of adults elongate, extending beyond C base; V
of adults reaching past anus. Juveniles pale greenish with elongate dark
spots on scales of body tending to form bars; 2 black lines posteriorly from
220.16 Cheilinus undulatus: 17.5 em (N. Mozambique).
690
eye; adult body with irregular greenish yellow and greenish grey vertical
lines, each grey line posterior to P broadening to a vertical spindle-shaped
band on each scale; head with a highly irregular reticulum of dull orange
and green; median fins finely banded; the posterior margin of C broadly
pale yellowish.
Reported to reach a length of 2.29 m and weigh 190 kg.
Indo-Pacific, south to Inhaca Id. Feeds on a variety of molluscs, sea urchins and other echinoderms, crustaceans and
fishes, including sand-dwelling types.
Genus Cheilio Lacepede, 1801
A single wide-ranging Indo-Pacific species.
Cigar wrasse
220.17 Cheilio inermis
(Forsskal,1775)
PLATE 95
Sigaar-lipvis
Labrus inermis Forsskal, 1775: 34 (Red Sea). Cheilio inermis: Smith,
SFSA No. 770*; Randall, 1983: 125*.
D IX, 12-14; A III, 11-12; P 12; LL 45-59, gently curved; head naked except for 1 row of scales on preopercle and a few on upper part of opercle;
body very elongate and little compressed, depth 5.5-8.0 in SL; snout
length about 2.3 in head; a pair of canine teeth anteriorly in jaws followed
by a row of small conical teeth; C rounded. Colour variable, from yellowish to green or brown, often with a midlateral dark stripe; males with a
few small orange to pink and often black spots in a group dorsally on side
of body in region of P.
Attains 50 cm. Indo-Pacific from Easter Id. to Red Sea,
south to Transkei. Typically found in seagrasses or dense
beds of algae.
220.17 Cheilio inermis: 25 em (N. Mozambique; plain yellow with dark spots
as shown).
Genus Choerodon Bleeker, 1847
This genus consists of 25 species, all Indo-Pacific; 1 in our
area.
220.18 Choerodon gymnogenys
(Gunther, 1867)
PLATE 94
Purplelined wrasse
Perslyn-lipvis
Xiphochilus gymnogenys Giinther, in Playfair & Giinther, 1867: 85, PI.
12, Fig. 4 (Zanzibar). Pea%pesia gymnogenys: Smith, SFSA No. 776a*;
1953: 520*. ? Pea%pesia matthaei: Smith, 1957: 101; 1961: 569, No. 776a*.
D XII,8; AIII,lO; PI4-15; LL 29, gently curved; large scales on opercle
but small scales on preopercle; body depth about 3.0 in SL; mouth terminal; 2 pairs of long stout canine teeth anteriorly in jaws followed by a row