HALICHOERES ARGUS - (BLOCH & SCHNEIDER, 1801)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Labriformes (Order) > Labroidei (Suborder) > Labridae (Family) > Halichoeres (Genus)
Girelle paon, Argus wrasse, Peacock wrasse, Kumadori-kyûsen, クマドリキュウセン, 大眼海猪鱼, 柄斑海豬魚, Cá Mó chấm,
Synonymes
Halichoeres fijiensis (Herre, 1935)
Halichoeres leparensis (Bleeker, 1853)
Halichoeres polyophthalmus (Bleeker, 1853)
Julis argus (Bennett, 1828)
Julis leparensis (Bleeker, 1853)
Julis polyophthalmus (Bleeker, 1853)
Julis punctulatus (Valenciennes, 1839)
Labrus argus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Labrus guttatus (Bloch, 1791)
Labrus guttulatus (Lacepède, 1801)
Platyglossus reticulatus (Cartier, 1874)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12 (usually: 12); Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 11-13 (usally: 12); Pectoral fin rays: 14 (rarely: 13); Vertebrae: 25. Body depth: 2.9-3.4 in SL; First dorsal fin spine: 3.0-3.3 in length of 9th spine; Caudal fin rounded; Pelvic fins of males short and not extending to anus: 1.2-1.3 in HL. Lateral line scales: 27 (rarely: 26), anterior scales with 1-3 (usually: 2) pores; Suborbital pores: 6-8; No median naked zone on nape, scales extending at most to vertical at rear edge of eyes. Gill rakers: 17-19. Canine (sometimes: 2) present at corners of mouth; Front of jaws with pair of projecting, slightly recurved canines, followed by second recurved pair: ~¾ as long. Max. length : 12.0 cm TL. Depth range: 1 - 15 m.
Color
Young green when in seagrasses and greenish brown on reefs. Recognized by the unusual color patterns on the cheek or the black spotted scales over the back.
Females olivaceous to grey-brown with longitudinal series of green dashes following scale rows; 5th and 7th rows midlateral on body with larger white dash after every third green dash; 6 dark bars on body interrupted by lateral line; Dark brown stripe on side of snout broadly bordered in white.
Males orange with round green spot rimmed in dark blue on each scale (those on lateral line may coalesce into zigzag pattern); Head salmon-pink with large irregular yellow-green bands; Median fins orange with rows of dark-edged yellowgreen spots and narrow blue margin; No large yellow area at pectoral-fin bases, and no triangular black spot dorsally at pectoral-fin base.
Etymology
Halichoeres: from Greek, halio-, hali-, halo-, hal- = word-forming element meaning "salt, sea," a Greek combination form of hals (genitive halos) "a lump of salt, salt generally," in Homer, "the sea," + from Greek, choiros = pig. Referring to elongated conical tooth at each corner of mouth, pointed outwards and forwards, and usually protruding beyond the flesh of lips, which reminded Rüppell of the canine teeth of a boar; Here "hog of the sea or hogfish".
argus: from Greek, Argos or Argus. Argus Panoptes (Ἄργος Πανόπτης), guardian of the heifer-nymph Io and son of Arestor, was a primordial giant whose epithet, "Panoptes", "all-seeing", whose eyes after death were transformed into the feathers of a peacock. Referring to red spot, edged with blue and black, on each scale of terminal-phase males.
Original description: Labrus argus Bloch & Schneider, 1801 - Type locality: Australia.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Lakshadweep (India), Sri Lanka, Myanmar and eastern Andaman Sea, east to Fiji, north to Taiwan, south to New Caledonia.
Biology
Usually found in shallow sheltered waters of bays and lagoons, especially in seagrass beds or areas with heavy algal growth, but over sand substrates as well.
Last update: 6, April 2023
Girelle paon, Argus wrasse, Peacock wrasse, Kumadori-kyûsen, クマドリキュウセン, 大眼海猪鱼, 柄斑海豬魚, Cá Mó chấm,
Synonymes
Halichoeres fijiensis (Herre, 1935)
Halichoeres leparensis (Bleeker, 1853)
Halichoeres polyophthalmus (Bleeker, 1853)
Julis argus (Bennett, 1828)
Julis leparensis (Bleeker, 1853)
Julis polyophthalmus (Bleeker, 1853)
Julis punctulatus (Valenciennes, 1839)
Labrus argus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801)
Labrus guttatus (Bloch, 1791)
Labrus guttulatus (Lacepède, 1801)
Platyglossus reticulatus (Cartier, 1874)
---------------------------
Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11-12 (usually: 12); Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 11-13 (usally: 12); Pectoral fin rays: 14 (rarely: 13); Vertebrae: 25. Body depth: 2.9-3.4 in SL; First dorsal fin spine: 3.0-3.3 in length of 9th spine; Caudal fin rounded; Pelvic fins of males short and not extending to anus: 1.2-1.3 in HL. Lateral line scales: 27 (rarely: 26), anterior scales with 1-3 (usually: 2) pores; Suborbital pores: 6-8; No median naked zone on nape, scales extending at most to vertical at rear edge of eyes. Gill rakers: 17-19. Canine (sometimes: 2) present at corners of mouth; Front of jaws with pair of projecting, slightly recurved canines, followed by second recurved pair: ~¾ as long. Max. length : 12.0 cm TL. Depth range: 1 - 15 m.
Color
Young green when in seagrasses and greenish brown on reefs. Recognized by the unusual color patterns on the cheek or the black spotted scales over the back.
Females olivaceous to grey-brown with longitudinal series of green dashes following scale rows; 5th and 7th rows midlateral on body with larger white dash after every third green dash; 6 dark bars on body interrupted by lateral line; Dark brown stripe on side of snout broadly bordered in white.
Males orange with round green spot rimmed in dark blue on each scale (those on lateral line may coalesce into zigzag pattern); Head salmon-pink with large irregular yellow-green bands; Median fins orange with rows of dark-edged yellowgreen spots and narrow blue margin; No large yellow area at pectoral-fin bases, and no triangular black spot dorsally at pectoral-fin base.
Etymology
Halichoeres: from Greek, halio-, hali-, halo-, hal- = word-forming element meaning "salt, sea," a Greek combination form of hals (genitive halos) "a lump of salt, salt generally," in Homer, "the sea," + from Greek, choiros = pig. Referring to elongated conical tooth at each corner of mouth, pointed outwards and forwards, and usually protruding beyond the flesh of lips, which reminded Rüppell of the canine teeth of a boar; Here "hog of the sea or hogfish".
argus: from Greek, Argos or Argus. Argus Panoptes (Ἄργος Πανόπτης), guardian of the heifer-nymph Io and son of Arestor, was a primordial giant whose epithet, "Panoptes", "all-seeing", whose eyes after death were transformed into the feathers of a peacock. Referring to red spot, edged with blue and black, on each scale of terminal-phase males.
Original description: Labrus argus Bloch & Schneider, 1801 - Type locality: Australia.
Distribution
Indo-West Pacific: Lakshadweep (India), Sri Lanka, Myanmar and eastern Andaman Sea, east to Fiji, north to Taiwan, south to New Caledonia.
Biology
Usually found in shallow sheltered waters of bays and lagoons, especially in seagrass beds or areas with heavy algal growth, but over sand substrates as well.
Last update: 6, April 2023