Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes (gen., sp.) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes (Perch-likes) > Labridae (Wrasses) > Xyrichtyinae
Etymology: Xyrichtys: Greek, xyreo = that cuts like a knife + Greek, ichthys = fish (Ref. 45335).

Environment / Climate / Range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 90 m (Ref. 3726). Subtropical, preferred ?

Distribution Countries | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Western Atlantic: North Carolina, USA and northern Gulf of Mexico (Ref. 7251) through the Caribbean to Brazil. Eastern Atlantic: France to Angola and including the Mediterranean, Azores, Madeira, Canary Islands, Cape Verde and Sao Tome Island.

Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: L_m ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 38.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); common length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2683); max. reported age: 8 years (Ref. 4742)

Short description Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 12. An elongate, very compressed fish with front of head forming a sharp edge. Snout very blunt; profile steep. Pale greenish, usually with no conspicuous markings on body (Ref. 26938). Head with alternating vertical lines of light blue and light yellow-orange (Ref. 13442).

Inhabits clear shallow areas with sandy bottoms, usually in the vicinity of seagrass beds and corals (Ref. 2683). Feeds mainly on mollusks; also crabs and shrimps (Ref. 3726). A protogynous hermaphrodite; sexual dimorphism apparent in head shape and length of pelvic fin (Ref. 5292). Builds nests with coral debris. Dives head first into the sand when frightened (Ref. 9710). Marketed fresh (Ref. 3726).

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Westneat, Mark | Collaborators

Gomon, M.F. and P. Forsyth, 1990. Labridae. p. 868-882. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon, SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2. (Ref. 5292)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 115185)

Least Concern (LC)

CITES (Ref. 94142)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

Harmless

Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: commercial

FAO(fisheries: production; publication : search) | FisheriesWiki | Sea Around Us

More information

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Common names
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Age/Size
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Internet sources

Estimates of some properties based on models

Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805): PD₅₀ = 0.5005 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].

Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01318 (0.00760 - 0.02286), b=2.86 (2.71 - 3.01), in cm Total Length, based on LWR estimates for this species & (Sub)family-body (Ref. 93245).

Trophic Level (Ref. 69278): 3.5 ±0.1 se; Based on diet studies.

Resilience (Ref. 69278): Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (tmax=8).

Vulnerability (Ref. 59153): Moderate vulnerability (36 of 100) .

Price category (Ref. 80766): Very high.

Xyrichtys novacula (Linnaeus, 1758)