Zigzag wrasse (Halichoeres scapularis)

Scientific name: Halichoeres scapularis Bennett, 1832

Zigzag wrasse (Halichoeres scapularis)

The Zigzag wrasse (Halichoeres scapularis) is a marine fish of the family Labridae. Native range: Indo-West Pacific, Red Sea and East Africa to Papua New Guinea, north to Japan, south to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.

Biology

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 11. The initial phase is olivaceous to brownish yellow dorsally, white ventrally, with a black zigzag stripe running from eye to upper caudal peduncle (continuing anteriorly as a yellow stripe from the eye to the snout). This primary phase is similar to H. trimaculatus except for the black zigzag stripe along its back. The terminal phase is green, the zigzag stripe lavender-pink with its anterior portion overlaid by a black blotch.

Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

Species facts

Scientific name
Halichoeres scapularis
Family
Labridae (Wrasses)
Order
Perciformes (Perch-like fish)
Class
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)
Maximum length
20.0
Depth range
2–10 m (7–33 ft)
Environment
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 10 m
Climate
Tropical
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Red Sea and East Africa to Papua New Guinea, north to Japan, south to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
Conservation status (IUCN)
Least Concern (LC)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
Resilience
High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.6)

More wrasses

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Sources

Taxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.

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