Gomphosus caeruleus
| Gomphosus caeruleus | |
|---|---|
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| Male | |
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| Female | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Labriformes |
| Family: | Labridae |
| Genus: | Gomphosus |
| Species: | G. caeruleus
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| Binomial name | |
| Gomphosus caeruleus Lacépède, 1801
| |
Gomphosus caeruleus, the green birdmouth wrasse, is a species of wrasse belonging to the family Labridae. It can be found in the aquarium trade.
Distribution and habitat
This tropical species of wrasse is native to the Indian Ocean, from East Africa south to Natal, South Africa, and east to the Andaman Sea. It occurs on rocky reefs and coral, especially in coral-rich areas of lagoon and seaward reefs.[2] It occurs between depths of 1–35 metres (3.3–114.8 ft)[3]
Description
Gomphosus caeruleus can reach a length of about 32 centimetres (13 in).[2] This is a dark specie of wrasse which has an extended 'beak-like' snout. The male has a light blue edge running along his pectoral fin and lime green dorsal and anal fins, The females have the lower head and breast pale with a marked dark stripe through eye they also have a yellow anal and caudal fins. Juveniles are pale with a dusky streak from their snout through the eye and onto the body. It can be told apart from the similar birdnose wrasse Gomphosus varius (Birdnose Wrasse) by it distribution and by the formers bright green stripe along the flanks of the males, no yellow in the tail of females or of a green back in the juveniles.[3] There are 8 spines in the dorsal fin which has 13 soft rays while the anal fin 3 spines and 11 rays.[2]
Ecology
Diet
Gomphosus caeruleus feeds on small invertebrates.[2]
Breeding
Very little is known about the reproductive habits of this species.[1]
Species description
Gomphosus caeruleus was formally described in 1801 by Bernard Germain de Lacépède in the third volume of his Histoire naturelle des poissons from types collected by Philibert Commerson (1727-1773) and although no type locality was given it is known to be Mauritius.[4]
References
- ^ a b To, A.; Liu, M. (2010). "Gomphosus caeruleus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T187569A8570874. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187569A8570874.en. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
{{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter|last-author-amp=ignored (|name-list-style=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Gomphosus caetuleus". FishBase. August 2019 version.
- ^ a b "Gomphosus caeruleus". Reef Life Survey. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
- ^ Eschmeyer, William N.; Fricke, Ron & van der Laan, Richard (eds.). "Gomphosus caeruleus". Catalog of Fishes. California Academy of Sciences. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
External links
- Photos of Gomphosus caeruleus on Sealife Collection