Bluehead (Thalassoma bifasciatum) fish species and information / pictures of Bluehead - Thalassoma bifasciatum

Bluehead (Thalassoma bifasciatum) fish species information

Scientific Name
Thalassoma bifasciatum

Common Name
Bluehead

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12-13; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 11. Body elongate; 3 primary color phases, the smallest with a black mid-lateral stripe which continues as pale red blotches on head; back above stripe yellow on reef fish and whitish on fish from inshore non-reef areas, and body below white. The largest phase, has a bright blue head and a green body with two broad vertical black bars anteriorly which are separated by a light blue interspace; this phase is always male. The small yellow phase with the black stripe may be either male or female (Ref. 13442).

Classification

Classified By
Bloch, 1791
Class
Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)
Order
Perch-like fish (Perciformes)
Family
Wrasses (Labridae)

Distribution

Region
Western Atlantic
Distribution
Western Atlantic: Bermuda, Florida (USA), southeastern Gulf of Mexico and throughout the Caribbean Sea to northern South America.
Range
32°N -

Environment

Climate
Tropical
Water Temperature From
23 °C
Water Temperature To
26 °C
Depth From - meters
0 m
Depth To - meters
40 m
Zone
reef-associated
Environment
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 40 m (Ref. 9710), usually 3 - 30 m (Ref. 27115)
Trophic Level
3.34 s.e. 0.41 Based on diet studies.
Occurs in Marine / Salt water
True
Occurs in Brackish water
False
Occurs in Fresh Water
False
Occurs on Reefs
True
Is kept in Aquariums
True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length
25.0 cm
Common Length
Unknown cm
Phylogenetic Diversity Index
PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses
Aquarium: commercial
Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (20 of 100)
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (k=0.7; tmax=3)
Threat To Humans
  Harmless
IUCN Red List Status
  Least Concern (LC)