Bluestreak cleaner wrasse
| Bluestreak cleaner wrasse | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Perciformes |
| Family: | Labridae |
| Genus: | Labroides |
| Species: | L. dimidiatus |
| Binomial name | |
| Labroides dimidiatus Valenciennes, 1839 |
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The bluestreak cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) is one of several species of cleaner wrasse found on coral reefs in the Indian Ocean and much of the Pacific Ocean, as well as many seas, including the Red Sea and those around Southeast Asia. Like other cleaner wrasses, it eats parasites and dead tissue off larger fishes' skin in a mutualist relationship that provides food and protection for the wrasse, and considerable health benefits for the other fish.[1][2]
Cleaner wrasses usually can be found around cleaning stations. The bigger fishes recognise them as cleaner fish because they have a lateral stripe along the length of the body[3] and their movement patterns. Upon recognising the cleaner and successfully soliciting its attention client fish adopt a species specific pose to allow the cleaner access to its body surface, gills and sometimes mouth. A species of blenny called Aspidontus taeniatus has evolved this behavior as mimicry, in order to tear small pieces of flesh from bigger fish. Another species the bluestreak fangblenny, Plagiotremus rhynorhncos, mimics juvenile cleaner wrasse so that its presence is tolerated by the cleaners and, it is assumed, can take advantage of the concentration of potential victims[4]
All cleaner wrasses start their lives as females. In a group of 6–8 cleaner wrasses there is only one male, the rest are females or juveniles. The strongest female changes its sex when the male dies, an occurrence known as sequential hermaphroditism.
Cleaner wrasses sleep in crevices between rocks or corals, covered in a slime layer that is secreted at dusk. In the morning these can be seen floating on the surface. They live about four years and can grow up to four inches.
[edit] References
- ^ Côté, I.M. (2000). "Evolution and ecology of cleaning symbioses in the sea". Oceanography and Marine Biology 38 (1): 311–355. doi:not+known.
- ^ Johnsom, M.L. (2012). Biodiversity Sciences. http://www.biodiversityscience.com/2012/01/31/high-street-cleaners/.
- ^ Stummer, L.E., Weller, J.A., Johnson, M.L., & Côté, I.M. (2005). "Size and stripes: how clients recognise cleaners". Animal Behaviour 68 (1): 145–150. doi:10.1016/j.anbehav.2003.10.018.
- ^ Johnson, Magnus and Hull, Susan (2006). "Interactions between fangblennies (Plagiotremus rhinorhynchos) and their potential victims: fooling the model rather than the client?". Marine Biology 148 (1): 889–897. doi:10.1007/s00227-005-0118-y.
[edit] Further reading
- Meulengracht-Madsen, Jens: (1976) Akvariefisk i farger, J.W. Cappelens forlag AS
- Labroides dimidiatus at FishBase
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