220: LABRIDAE (WRASSES)
Reaches 28 cm. Indian Ocean, south to southern Natal.
The Red Sea population represents a different subspecies,
G. caeruleus klunzingeri Klausewitz, 1962.
Genus Halichoeres Ruppell, 1835
About 55 species (9 western Atlantic, 5 eastern Pacific,
the rest Indo-Pacific); 8 in our area. H. zeylonicus (Bennett,
1832), H. pelicieri Randall & Smith, 1982 and H. trispilus,
Randall & Smith, 1982 occur at Mauritius and are included
in the key below.
KEY TO SPECIES
I a Isolated patch of small scales on upper part of
operde; LL 26 ................................................................ 2
Ib No scales on opercle; LL27 or28 ........................................ 3
2a A near-vertical band of small scales behind eye;
suborbital pores of adults 20-40; no dark stripe on
body; adults with a series of square black-edged,
white spots following scale rows; a yellow spot
on body at base of 4th and 5th 0 spines, followed
by a large black blotch ...................................... H. hortulanus
2b No band of scales behind eye; suborbital pores 9-11;
a dark stripe from eye to upper base of C (zigzag on
body of adults); no yellow spot or black spot at
base of 0 ........................................................ H. scapularis
3a 0 IX,13-14; ground colour of head and body
dark brown to blackish .................................... H. marginatus
3b 0 IX,11-12 (rarely 13 for iridis); ground colour
of head and body not dark brown or blackish
(except body of iridis mostly dark brown) ............................ 4
4a P usually IS (occasionally 14); membranes between
2nd and 5th 0 spines elevated above rest of fin;
a prominent triangular dark spot at upper P base .... H. dussumieri
4b P 12-14 (rarely 15) membranes between 2nd and 5th 0
spines not elevated above rest of fin; no triangular
dark spot at upper P base (zeylonicus and
pelicieri with a very small black spot at this location) ................ 5
Sa P usually 14 (rarely 13 or IS); females with a large
pink area on abdomen; (reduced in size or lost in
males); males with a black spot on opercle ............. H. nebulosus
5b P 12 or 13 (usually 13); no pink area on abdomen;
no black spot on operde ................................................... 6
6a Anterior LL scales with 1 pore; a small black
spot at upper P base; a distinct yellow, blackish or
pink stripe on upper side of body in life; ............................... 7
6b Anterior LL scales with 2-5 pores; no black spot
at upper P base; no stripe on side of body .............................. 8
7a C of male double emarginate and a large black
spot on upper side; males without a broad
blackish stripe in 0 ........................................ [H. zeylonicus]
7b C of male rounded and no black spot on side; males
with a broad median blackish stripe in 0 ................. [H. pelicieri]
694
8a Median dorsal region of nape and median
ventral region of chest scaleless; 3rd and 4th 0
spines slightly longer than 5th and 6th; females with
3 longitudinal rows of large dark brown spots on
side of body (faint on males except a black one
larger than eye behind upper end of gill
opening) ............................................................ H. lapillus
8b Median dorsal region of nape and median ventral
region of chest scaled (though scales mid-dorsally
on nape may be embedded); 3rd and 4th 0 spines
shorter than 5th and 6th; no large dark spots on
~~~....................................................
9
9a 0 and A soft-rays 11; body with alternating
stripes of bluish grey to green and salmon pink
to yellow; ........................................................ H. cosmetus
9b 0 and A soft rays 12; colour not as in 9a .............................. 10
lOa Body brown with a broad red band along back;
head orange-yellow with greenish bands and a
dark spot behind eye ............................................... H. iridis
lOb Body pale pink with a horizontal row of 3 dark
dots dorsally (Ion nape and 2 beneath spinous
portion of D); upper part of head finely striped
with light red and white ...................................... [H. trispilus]
220.28 Halichoeres cosmetus
Randall & Smith, 1982
PLATE 91
Adorned wrasse
Tooi-lipvis
Halichoeres cosmetus Randall & Smith, 1982: 15, PI. 6C, PI. 7, Figs. A,
B (Maldive Ids.).
o IX, 11; Am, 11; P 12-14; LL 26-28, abruptly bent downward beneath
posterior part of 0 (true of all Halichoeres); anterior LL scales with 2-4
(usually 3) pores; GR 17-20; a canine tooth (sometimes 2) at corner of
mouth (found in all Halichoeres, at least as adults); head naked; scales on
chest smaller than those of rest of body (true of other Halichoeres); suborbital pores 8-11; body with alternating stripes of bluish grey or green and
salmon pink and green; a blackish spot behind eye.
Attains more than 11 cm. Western Indian Ocean to
Aliwal Shoal south of Durban. A beautiful wrasse common
around coral reefs and rocky substrata in about 5 - 30 m. Related to H. ornatissimus (Garrett, 1863) of the Cocos-Keeling Ids. and islands of Oceania.
220.29 Halichoeres dussumieri
(Valenciennes, 1839)
PLATE 92
Bubblefin wrasse
Bobbelvin-lipvis
Julis Dussumieri Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1839: 478 (coast of
Malabar, India). Halichoeres dianthus Smith, 1947: 802 (Inhaca Id.,
Mozambique); SFSA No. 789*. Halichoeres nigrescens: Smith, SFSA No.
791 *. Halichoeres dussumieri: Randall & Smith, 1982: 6*.
o IX,12; A m,12; P 14-15; LL 27, anterior scales with 2-5 pores; GR
18-22; head naked; suborbital pores 8-12; membranes between 2nd and
5th 0 spines higher than rest of fin. Light greenish dorsally, shading to
white ventrally, with 6 or 7 irregular reddish brown bars on upper twothirds of body (the 2nd and 4th in approximate X-shape), resulting from
Reaches 28 cm. Indian Ocean, south to southern Natal.
The Red Sea population represents a different subspecies,
G. caeruleus klunzingeri Klausewitz, 1962.
Genus Halichoeres Ruppell, 1835
About 55 species (9 western Atlantic, 5 eastern Pacific,
the rest Indo-Pacific); 8 in our area. H. zeylonicus (Bennett,
1832), H. pelicieri Randall & Smith, 1982 and H. trispilus,
Randall & Smith, 1982 occur at Mauritius and are included
in the key below.
KEY TO SPECIES
I a Isolated patch of small scales on upper part of
operde; LL 26 ................................................................ 2
Ib No scales on opercle; LL27 or28 ........................................ 3
2a A near-vertical band of small scales behind eye;
suborbital pores of adults 20-40; no dark stripe on
body; adults with a series of square black-edged,
white spots following scale rows; a yellow spot
on body at base of 4th and 5th 0 spines, followed
by a large black blotch ...................................... H. hortulanus
2b No band of scales behind eye; suborbital pores 9-11;
a dark stripe from eye to upper base of C (zigzag on
body of adults); no yellow spot or black spot at
base of 0 ........................................................ H. scapularis
3a 0 IX,13-14; ground colour of head and body
dark brown to blackish .................................... H. marginatus
3b 0 IX,11-12 (rarely 13 for iridis); ground colour
of head and body not dark brown or blackish
(except body of iridis mostly dark brown) ............................ 4
4a P usually IS (occasionally 14); membranes between
2nd and 5th 0 spines elevated above rest of fin;
a prominent triangular dark spot at upper P base .... H. dussumieri
4b P 12-14 (rarely 15) membranes between 2nd and 5th 0
spines not elevated above rest of fin; no triangular
dark spot at upper P base (zeylonicus and
pelicieri with a very small black spot at this location) ................ 5
Sa P usually 14 (rarely 13 or IS); females with a large
pink area on abdomen; (reduced in size or lost in
males); males with a black spot on opercle ............. H. nebulosus
5b P 12 or 13 (usually 13); no pink area on abdomen;
no black spot on operde ................................................... 6
6a Anterior LL scales with 1 pore; a small black
spot at upper P base; a distinct yellow, blackish or
pink stripe on upper side of body in life; ............................... 7
6b Anterior LL scales with 2-5 pores; no black spot
at upper P base; no stripe on side of body .............................. 8
7a C of male double emarginate and a large black
spot on upper side; males without a broad
blackish stripe in 0 ........................................ [H. zeylonicus]
7b C of male rounded and no black spot on side; males
with a broad median blackish stripe in 0 ................. [H. pelicieri]
694
8a Median dorsal region of nape and median
ventral region of chest scaleless; 3rd and 4th 0
spines slightly longer than 5th and 6th; females with
3 longitudinal rows of large dark brown spots on
side of body (faint on males except a black one
larger than eye behind upper end of gill
opening) ............................................................ H. lapillus
8b Median dorsal region of nape and median ventral
region of chest scaled (though scales mid-dorsally
on nape may be embedded); 3rd and 4th 0 spines
shorter than 5th and 6th; no large dark spots on
~~~....................................................
9
9a 0 and A soft-rays 11; body with alternating
stripes of bluish grey to green and salmon pink
to yellow; ........................................................ H. cosmetus
9b 0 and A soft rays 12; colour not as in 9a .............................. 10
lOa Body brown with a broad red band along back;
head orange-yellow with greenish bands and a
dark spot behind eye ............................................... H. iridis
lOb Body pale pink with a horizontal row of 3 dark
dots dorsally (Ion nape and 2 beneath spinous
portion of D); upper part of head finely striped
with light red and white ...................................... [H. trispilus]
220.28 Halichoeres cosmetus
Randall & Smith, 1982
PLATE 91
Adorned wrasse
Tooi-lipvis
Halichoeres cosmetus Randall & Smith, 1982: 15, PI. 6C, PI. 7, Figs. A,
B (Maldive Ids.).
o IX, 11; Am, 11; P 12-14; LL 26-28, abruptly bent downward beneath
posterior part of 0 (true of all Halichoeres); anterior LL scales with 2-4
(usually 3) pores; GR 17-20; a canine tooth (sometimes 2) at corner of
mouth (found in all Halichoeres, at least as adults); head naked; scales on
chest smaller than those of rest of body (true of other Halichoeres); suborbital pores 8-11; body with alternating stripes of bluish grey or green and
salmon pink and green; a blackish spot behind eye.
Attains more than 11 cm. Western Indian Ocean to
Aliwal Shoal south of Durban. A beautiful wrasse common
around coral reefs and rocky substrata in about 5 - 30 m. Related to H. ornatissimus (Garrett, 1863) of the Cocos-Keeling Ids. and islands of Oceania.
220.29 Halichoeres dussumieri
(Valenciennes, 1839)
PLATE 92
Bubblefin wrasse
Bobbelvin-lipvis
Julis Dussumieri Valenciennes, in Cuv. & Val., 1839: 478 (coast of
Malabar, India). Halichoeres dianthus Smith, 1947: 802 (Inhaca Id.,
Mozambique); SFSA No. 789*. Halichoeres nigrescens: Smith, SFSA No.
791 *. Halichoeres dussumieri: Randall & Smith, 1982: 6*.
o IX,12; A m,12; P 14-15; LL 27, anterior scales with 2-5 pores; GR
18-22; head naked; suborbital pores 8-12; membranes between 2nd and
5th 0 spines higher than rest of fin. Light greenish dorsally, shading to
white ventrally, with 6 or 7 irregular reddish brown bars on upper twothirds of body (the 2nd and 4th in approximate X-shape), resulting from