THE STEINHART AQUARIUM - Gulf of Guinea Science ...

Sixline Wrasse
Pseudocheilinus hexataenia (Labridae)
Wrasses
Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Red Sea south to
South Africa and east to the Tuamoto Islands,
north to the Ryukyu Islands, south to Lord
Howe and the Austral islands.
Habitat: Seaward reefs among coral branches;
dense coral habitats on shallow reef crest or
slopes 2–35 m.
Appearance: To 7.5 cm. Violet with six horizontal
orange stripes on side. Small black dot
on upper tail base.
Diet: Primarily small crustaceans, snails, and
flatworms.
Reproduction and Development: Pelagic
spawners; protogynous hermaphrodites.
Mortality/Longevity: Preyed upon by grouper
and other finfish.
Remarks: Usually occurs in small loose groups.
A shy species, usually swimming among the
protection of coral branches.
Like most wrasses, inactive at night.
Mystery Wrasse
Pseudocheilinus ocellatus (Labridae)
Wrasses
Distribution: West to central Pacific ocean.
Habitat: On coral reefs, 20–60 m, usually near
the substrate.
Appearance: The genus is known as the “lined
wrasses,” but unlike others in the group,
the mystery wrasse has vertical rather than
horizontal lines. Body reddish-pink, stripes
white. These lines may fade as the fish matures.
Distinct black ocellus (eye spot) on each side
of the caudal fin, often surrounded by yellow
may confuse predators. Max. size: 10 cm.
Diet: Carnivorous: Fish egges, small crabs,
mollusks, sea urchins, and other benthic
invertebrates.
Mortality/Longevity: Predatory fishes such as
grouper, lionfish, and scorpionfish find lined
wrasses a tasty meal.
Remarks: First described in 1999, its life history is
not well known. Because of its handsome coloring
and hardy nature, it has become increasingly
popular with aquarists.
California Academy of Sciences
173
California Sheephead Wrasse
Semicossyphus pulcher (Labridae)
Wrasses
Distribution: Monterey Bay, California to Cabo
Saint Lucas, Baja California.
Habitat: Solitary or in small groups in kelp forests
and shallow reefs to 55 m, typically 3–30 m.
Appearance: Length to 91 cm, weight to 16
kg. Fusiform, deep, compressed. Adult males
with head, posterior body and caudal fin black,
mid-body brick red, chin white.
Adult females reddish-brown. Caudal fin almost
square. Juveniles brick red on sides with
white stripe.
Diet: Varies. Hard-shelled prey (sea urchins,
barnacles, clams, gastropods, mussels, lobsters
and crabs) crushed with tooth-plates in rear of
mouth. Also take octopuses and various worms;
can pry prey from substrate with canine teeth.
Reproduction and Development: Protogynous
hermaphrodite. Individuals initially
female, change to males at about 30 cm and
8 years old. Sex change metamorphosis takes
less than one year.
Mortality/Longevity: Can live to more than
50 years, although this rarely happens now.
A popular food fish. Giant sea bass, as well as
various marine mammals such as California sea
lions and harbor seals, consume this species.
Conservation Status: Not on IUCN Red List.
Populations shrinking in southern California
due to fishing pressure and reduction of kelp
beds. Large males now rare.
Remarks: Juvenile sheepheads may act as
cleaner fish symbionts to other fish.
Adults have steeply sloping foreheads, thus
the common name.
Sixbar Wrasse
Thalassoma hardwicke (Labridae)
Wrasses
Distribution: Tropical Indo-Pacific: East Africa
west to the Line and Tuamoto islands and from
southern Japan in the north to the Austral
islands in the south.
Habitat: Shallow lagoons and seaward reefs,
along slopes and drop-offs to moderate depths,
ranging from 0-15 m.
Appearance: Adult is pastel blue to pale green
with six dark, vertical bars on their body, the