220.62 Thalasspma lunare
(Linnaeus, 1758)
PLATE 104
Crescent-tail wrasse
Maanstert-lipvis
Labrus lunaris Linnaeus, 1758: 283 (India). Thalassoma lunare: Smith,
SFSA No. 777*.
D VIII,13; A I1I,1l; P 15; LL25; total GR 18-20; head naked except for
patch of small scales dorsally on opercle; body depth 3.1-3.7 in SL. C varying from truncate in juveniles to very lunate in large males. Green with
vertical red to purplish red lines on body; head green to blue with irregular
rose pink to red bands; adults with a large crescentic yellow area posteriorly in C and blue-edged rose band in each lobe; P blue with a large
elongate pink spot in upper centre. Terminal males more blue in colour
overall, particularly the head (dark in preservative). Juveniles with a large
blackish spot in middle of D and a large diffuse blackish spot at C base.
Attains 25 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Algoa Bay. A bold,
opportunistic fish which preys mainly on benthic invertebrates and small fishes.
220.63 Thalassoma purpureum
(Forsskal, 1775)
PLATE 104
Surge wrasse
Branders-lipvis
Scarus purpureus Forsskal, 1775: 27 (Red Sea). Julis semicoeruleus
Riippell, 1835: 10, PI. 3, Fig. 1 (Red Sea). Julis umbrostygma Riippell,
1835: 11 (Red Sea). Thalassoma purpureum: Smith, SFSA No. 779*; van
der Elst, 1981: 194*. Thalassoma semicaeruleus: Smith, 1961: 569, No.
779a*.
D VIlI,13; A IlI,11: P 16 (rarely 15 or 17); LL 25; GR 20-25 (modally
23); head naked except for patch of small scales dorsally on opercle; body
depth 3.0-3.4 in SL. C of initial phase slightly rounded to truncate, ofterminal males slightly double emarginate with lobes a little produced (particularly the upper). Initial phase with 2 longitudinal series of vertically
elongate, subrectangular, close-set green spots, these rows separated by
light red stripes; rows of green spots separated by maroon lines which
extend into the red stripes; head and ventral part of body green; upper %
of head with numerous maroon spots and short irregular lines, one below
front of eye vertical, with a branch to front of snout. Terminal males
green, shading ventrally to blue-green, with 3 narrow pink stripes with irregular margins; head blue-green with broad irregular pink bands dorsally
and 1 extending diagonally downward from eye toward P base, branching
as it crosses preopercle; paired fins and C blue.
Attains 43 cm. Indo-Pacific; south to Algoa Bay.
Juveniles very common, found on exposed rocky shores in
surprisingly shallow water; an active swimmer, almost
constantly on the move, feeds mainly on crabs, sea urchins,
brittlestars and small fishes.
220.64 Thalassoma quinquevittatum
(Lay & Bennett, 1839)
PLATE 104
Fivestripe wrasse
Vyfstreep-lipvis
Scarus quinquevittatils Lay & Bennett, 1839, 66, PI. 19, Fig. 3 (Loo
Choo Ids.). Thalassoma quinquevittatus: Smith, 1961: 596, No. 782b.
D VIII,13; A I1I,11; P 16 (rarely 15 or 17); LL25; total GR 21-25; head
220: LABRIDAE (WRASSES)
naked except for a patch of small scales dorsally on opercle; body depth
3.2-3.6 in SL. C truncate or with lobes slightly prolonged, becoming
deeply emarginate in large males. Upper % of body with alternating green
and rose pink stripes, the uppermost along back and D base green; 2nd
green stripe a series of close-set vertically elongate green spots which
merge to a solid band posteriorly; 3rd green stripe grading to lighter green
of lower part of body; chest and anterior abdomen at level of P base with 2
highly oblique rose bands alternating with green or blue; head rose with 4
narrow green to blue bands radiating from eye and a long semicircular
narrow green or blue band on cheek, the upper convex part approaching
eye; a black spot on 1st 2 D membranes, unscaled part of C yellow to
orange with a narrow green to blue-edged band in each lobe. Juveniles
with a row of small black spots along D base and 2 larger black spots in fin.
Attains 17 cm. Indo-Pacific south to Transkei (32°S).
220.65 Thalassoma trilobatum
(Lacepede, 1801)
PLATE 105
Ladder wrasse
Leer-lipvis
Labrus fuscus (non Gmelin): Lacepede, 1801: 437,493 (Mauritius).
Labrus trilobatus Lacepede, 1801: 454, 526, PI. 4, Fig. 3 (Mauritius).
Thalassoma fuscus: Smith, SFSA No. 782*. Thalassoma fuscum: van der
Elst, 1981: 193*.
D VIII,13; A m,ll; P 16 (rarely 15 or 17); LL25; total GR 18-24; head
naked except for patch of small scales dorsally on opercle; body depth 3.13.4 in SL. C of initial phase slightly rounded to truncate, of terminal males
truncate to very slightly double emarginate. Initial phase coloured like
that of T. purpureum, except the dark red line below front of eye is
diagonal, not vertical. Body ofterminal males salmon pink to orange with
2 longitudinal rows of close-set, vertically elongate, subrectangular green
to blue-green spots on side; 4 green spots of upper row with dorsal extensions linking to irregular green band at base of D; head and chest orangebrown without markings; C greenish to brownish orange, shading distally
to pink, the outer V3 of rays blue.
Attains 30 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Transkei. Like T.
purpureum, an active shallow-water fish of exposed rocky
shores, but tends to occur in slightly deeper water on the
average than T. purpureum.
Genus Xyrichtys Cuvier, 1815
About 20 species, of which 6 occur in the Atlantic, 1 in the
eastern Pacific, and the rest in the Indo-Pacific region; 2
species known from our area and one record of a 3rd species
needs confirmation. The genus is in need of revision.
Species have often been placed in Hemipteronotus
Lacepecte, but this genus is invalid, based on a drawing of
Naucrates ductor (Bauchot in CLOFNAM, 1973). lniistius
Gill is a synonym of Xyrichtys.
KEY TO SPECIES
la First 2 D spines much longer than other D spines
and completely separate from rest of fin; adults
grey dorsally, pale yellowish ventrally, with 4
broad diffuse dark bars on body (the last at C
base) and a small blue-edged black spot just above
LL below base of 6th D spine ....................................... X. pavo
705
(Linnaeus, 1758)
PLATE 104
Crescent-tail wrasse
Maanstert-lipvis
Labrus lunaris Linnaeus, 1758: 283 (India). Thalassoma lunare: Smith,
SFSA No. 777*.
D VIII,13; A I1I,1l; P 15; LL25; total GR 18-20; head naked except for
patch of small scales dorsally on opercle; body depth 3.1-3.7 in SL. C varying from truncate in juveniles to very lunate in large males. Green with
vertical red to purplish red lines on body; head green to blue with irregular
rose pink to red bands; adults with a large crescentic yellow area posteriorly in C and blue-edged rose band in each lobe; P blue with a large
elongate pink spot in upper centre. Terminal males more blue in colour
overall, particularly the head (dark in preservative). Juveniles with a large
blackish spot in middle of D and a large diffuse blackish spot at C base.
Attains 25 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Algoa Bay. A bold,
opportunistic fish which preys mainly on benthic invertebrates and small fishes.
220.63 Thalassoma purpureum
(Forsskal, 1775)
PLATE 104
Surge wrasse
Branders-lipvis
Scarus purpureus Forsskal, 1775: 27 (Red Sea). Julis semicoeruleus
Riippell, 1835: 10, PI. 3, Fig. 1 (Red Sea). Julis umbrostygma Riippell,
1835: 11 (Red Sea). Thalassoma purpureum: Smith, SFSA No. 779*; van
der Elst, 1981: 194*. Thalassoma semicaeruleus: Smith, 1961: 569, No.
779a*.
D VIlI,13; A IlI,11: P 16 (rarely 15 or 17); LL 25; GR 20-25 (modally
23); head naked except for patch of small scales dorsally on opercle; body
depth 3.0-3.4 in SL. C of initial phase slightly rounded to truncate, ofterminal males slightly double emarginate with lobes a little produced (particularly the upper). Initial phase with 2 longitudinal series of vertically
elongate, subrectangular, close-set green spots, these rows separated by
light red stripes; rows of green spots separated by maroon lines which
extend into the red stripes; head and ventral part of body green; upper %
of head with numerous maroon spots and short irregular lines, one below
front of eye vertical, with a branch to front of snout. Terminal males
green, shading ventrally to blue-green, with 3 narrow pink stripes with irregular margins; head blue-green with broad irregular pink bands dorsally
and 1 extending diagonally downward from eye toward P base, branching
as it crosses preopercle; paired fins and C blue.
Attains 43 cm. Indo-Pacific; south to Algoa Bay.
Juveniles very common, found on exposed rocky shores in
surprisingly shallow water; an active swimmer, almost
constantly on the move, feeds mainly on crabs, sea urchins,
brittlestars and small fishes.
220.64 Thalassoma quinquevittatum
(Lay & Bennett, 1839)
PLATE 104
Fivestripe wrasse
Vyfstreep-lipvis
Scarus quinquevittatils Lay & Bennett, 1839, 66, PI. 19, Fig. 3 (Loo
Choo Ids.). Thalassoma quinquevittatus: Smith, 1961: 596, No. 782b.
D VIII,13; A I1I,11; P 16 (rarely 15 or 17); LL25; total GR 21-25; head
220: LABRIDAE (WRASSES)
naked except for a patch of small scales dorsally on opercle; body depth
3.2-3.6 in SL. C truncate or with lobes slightly prolonged, becoming
deeply emarginate in large males. Upper % of body with alternating green
and rose pink stripes, the uppermost along back and D base green; 2nd
green stripe a series of close-set vertically elongate green spots which
merge to a solid band posteriorly; 3rd green stripe grading to lighter green
of lower part of body; chest and anterior abdomen at level of P base with 2
highly oblique rose bands alternating with green or blue; head rose with 4
narrow green to blue bands radiating from eye and a long semicircular
narrow green or blue band on cheek, the upper convex part approaching
eye; a black spot on 1st 2 D membranes, unscaled part of C yellow to
orange with a narrow green to blue-edged band in each lobe. Juveniles
with a row of small black spots along D base and 2 larger black spots in fin.
Attains 17 cm. Indo-Pacific south to Transkei (32°S).
220.65 Thalassoma trilobatum
(Lacepede, 1801)
PLATE 105
Ladder wrasse
Leer-lipvis
Labrus fuscus (non Gmelin): Lacepede, 1801: 437,493 (Mauritius).
Labrus trilobatus Lacepede, 1801: 454, 526, PI. 4, Fig. 3 (Mauritius).
Thalassoma fuscus: Smith, SFSA No. 782*. Thalassoma fuscum: van der
Elst, 1981: 193*.
D VIII,13; A m,ll; P 16 (rarely 15 or 17); LL25; total GR 18-24; head
naked except for patch of small scales dorsally on opercle; body depth 3.13.4 in SL. C of initial phase slightly rounded to truncate, of terminal males
truncate to very slightly double emarginate. Initial phase coloured like
that of T. purpureum, except the dark red line below front of eye is
diagonal, not vertical. Body ofterminal males salmon pink to orange with
2 longitudinal rows of close-set, vertically elongate, subrectangular green
to blue-green spots on side; 4 green spots of upper row with dorsal extensions linking to irregular green band at base of D; head and chest orangebrown without markings; C greenish to brownish orange, shading distally
to pink, the outer V3 of rays blue.
Attains 30 cm. Indo-Pacific, south to Transkei. Like T.
purpureum, an active shallow-water fish of exposed rocky
shores, but tends to occur in slightly deeper water on the
average than T. purpureum.
Genus Xyrichtys Cuvier, 1815
About 20 species, of which 6 occur in the Atlantic, 1 in the
eastern Pacific, and the rest in the Indo-Pacific region; 2
species known from our area and one record of a 3rd species
needs confirmation. The genus is in need of revision.
Species have often been placed in Hemipteronotus
Lacepecte, but this genus is invalid, based on a drawing of
Naucrates ductor (Bauchot in CLOFNAM, 1973). lniistius
Gill is a synonym of Xyrichtys.
KEY TO SPECIES
la First 2 D spines much longer than other D spines
and completely separate from rest of fin; adults
grey dorsally, pale yellowish ventrally, with 4
broad diffuse dark bars on body (the last at C
base) and a small blue-edged black spot just above
LL below base of 6th D spine ....................................... X. pavo
705