Scientific Name
Pseudojuloides cerasinus

Common Name
Smalltail wrasse

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 12; Vertebrae: 15. Body color and pigmentation of males and females differ; geographic variation exists. In life, males olive green dorsally, bluish ventrally with double colored stripe (bright blue and yellow) on body. 8-11 small median predorsal scales; 5-8 suborbital pores from below anterior edge to midposterior level of orbit; 10-13 pores along free margin of opercle; 3 pores in front of anterior nostril. Caudal fins of some individuals slightly double emarginate. The primary phase of P. cerasinus is a salmon pink with yellowish fins (Ref. 1602). Juveniles collected in Sydney and reared to adults in an aquarium were observed to change from pink to the male pattern in about one week (Ref. 48636).

Classification

Classified By

Snyder, 1904

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Wrasses (Labridae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Hawaiian, Society, and Austral islands, north to the Izu Islands, south to Lord Howe Island.

Range

33°N - 32°S

Environment

Climate

Tropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

2 m

Depth To - meters

61 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 61 m (Ref. 1602), usually 21 - ? m (Ref. 1602)

Trophic Level

3.34 s.e. 0.37 Based on size and trophs of closest relatives

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

12.3 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5005 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 (23 of 100)

Resilience

High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Data deficient (DD)