OXYCHEILINUS UNIFASCIATUS - (STREETS, 1877)
Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Labriformes (Order) > Labroidei (Suborder) > Labridae (Family) > Oxycheilinus (Genus)
Labre rose, Labre à anneau blanc, One-band wrasse, Ringtail maori wrasse, Ringtail wrasse, Rosecolored wrasse, Tail-band maori wrasse, Whiteband maori wrasse, Hitosuji-mochino-uo, ヒトスジモチノウオ, 单带尖唇鱼,
Synonymes
Cheilinus cingulatus (Weber, 1913)
Cheilinus polygramma (Valenciennes, 1840)
Cheilinus unifasciatus (Streets, 1877)
Cheilinus zonurus (Jenkins, 1901)
Chilinus hexagonatus (Günther, 1881)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8-11; Pectoral fins rays: 2 unbranched and 10 branched; Pelvic fins short, not reaching anus; Caudal fin slightly rounded to truncate, with corners produced into short pointed lobes. Body moderately slender, its depth: 2.6-3.2 in standard length. Head pointed, dorsal profile nearly straight, slightly concave in front of eye in large adults; Lower jaw prominent, 2 strong canines anteriorly in each jaw; No enlarged tooth present on rear of upper jaw; Corner of mouth extends rearward to vertical at forward extent of orbit; Snout: 2.3-2.8 in head; Posterior ends of dorsal and anal fins bluntly pointed to rounded; Scaly sheath extending onto dorsal and anal fins. Lateral line interrupted below posterior portion of dorsal-fin base, with 15-16 scales on anterior portion and 6-9 on peduncular part. Predorsal scales: 6, reaching forward to vertical at centre of eye; Cheek scales reaching just anterior to forward extent of orbit, broad naked margins adjacent to orbit and free preopercular edge; Subopercular scales extending anteriorly to vertical at centre of eye. Max. length: 46.0 cm TL. Max. published weight: 1.4 kg. Depth range: 1 - 160 m.
Color
Variable colored with 2 common patterns. Both color patterns exhibit a pale grey to green area behind the eye that is bordered dorsally and ventrally by red lines, and extends rearward slightly ventrally to end on the opercular margin just above pectoral-fin base; Large central portion of caudal fin mainly green; Faint to prominent white bar encircling caudal peduncle below last dorsal-fin rays; Dorsal and anal fins with 2 or 3 longitudinal lines, alternating orange and blue; Pectoral fins largely clear with light pink base; Pelvic fins clear distally, proximally orange-red.
Labre rose, Labre à anneau blanc, One-band wrasse, Ringtail maori wrasse, Ringtail wrasse, Rosecolored wrasse, Tail-band maori wrasse, Whiteband maori wrasse, Hitosuji-mochino-uo, ヒトスジモチノウオ, 单带尖唇鱼,
Synonymes
Cheilinus cingulatus (Weber, 1913)
Cheilinus polygramma (Valenciennes, 1840)
Cheilinus unifasciatus (Streets, 1877)
Cheilinus zonurus (Jenkins, 1901)
Chilinus hexagonatus (Günther, 1881)
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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8-11; Pectoral fins rays: 2 unbranched and 10 branched; Pelvic fins short, not reaching anus; Caudal fin slightly rounded to truncate, with corners produced into short pointed lobes. Body moderately slender, its depth: 2.6-3.2 in standard length. Head pointed, dorsal profile nearly straight, slightly concave in front of eye in large adults; Lower jaw prominent, 2 strong canines anteriorly in each jaw; No enlarged tooth present on rear of upper jaw; Corner of mouth extends rearward to vertical at forward extent of orbit; Snout: 2.3-2.8 in head; Posterior ends of dorsal and anal fins bluntly pointed to rounded; Scaly sheath extending onto dorsal and anal fins. Lateral line interrupted below posterior portion of dorsal-fin base, with 15-16 scales on anterior portion and 6-9 on peduncular part. Predorsal scales: 6, reaching forward to vertical at centre of eye; Cheek scales reaching just anterior to forward extent of orbit, broad naked margins adjacent to orbit and free preopercular edge; Subopercular scales extending anteriorly to vertical at centre of eye. Max. length: 46.0 cm TL. Max. published weight: 1.4 kg. Depth range: 1 - 160 m.
Color
Variable colored with 2 common patterns. Both color patterns exhibit a pale grey to green area behind the eye that is bordered dorsally and ventrally by red lines, and extends rearward slightly ventrally to end on the opercular margin just above pectoral-fin base; Large central portion of caudal fin mainly green; Faint to prominent white bar encircling caudal peduncle below last dorsal-fin rays; Dorsal and anal fins with 2 or 3 longitudinal lines, alternating orange and blue; Pectoral fins largely clear with light pink base; Pelvic fins clear distally, proximally orange-red.
- Body dark green to reddish, with an orange-red bar or spot on each scale; Head greenish with irregular orange lines on upper part parallel to dorsal profile, radiating from eye, and a series of 5 or 6 diagonal purple lines on lower cheek.
- Reddish on upper three-fifths of body and pale white on ventral two-fifths of body, with entire caudal peduncle pale.
Etymology
Oxycheilinus: from Greek, oxys = sharp + from Greek, cheilos = lip.
unifasciatus: from Latin prefix, ūni- = one + from Latin, fascio = bundled, banded.
Original description: Cheilinus unifasciatus Streets, 1877 - Type locality: Tabuaeran or Fanning Atoll (both Gilbertese and English names are recognised), Line Islands, central Pacific Ocean and part of Kiribati.
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean, western and central Pacific Ocean: Christmas Island and Cocos-Keeling Islands east to Hawaiian Islands and Pitcairn Group, north to Ryukyu Islands and southern Japan, south to Western Australia, New Caledonia, Tonga and Rapa.
Biology
Usually solitary in coral rich areas of clear lagoon and seaward reefs. Hovers well above the bottom. Young secretive in soft corals and hydrozoans. Benthopelagic. Feeds mainly on fishes, shrimps and other crustaceans. Large individuals of this species are commonly marketed for food (may be ciguatoxic), and small individuals are occasionally seen in the aquarium trade. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding. Capable of changing sex.
Similar species
Oxycheilinus digramma (Lacepède, 1801) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Oxycheilinus orientalis (Günther, 1862) - Report from New Caledonia must be confirmed.
Oxycheilinus rhodochrous (Günther, 1867) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific. Randall & Khalaf, 2003 state that is a possible synonym of Oxycheilinus orientalis (Günther, 1862).
Oxycheilinus: from Greek, oxys = sharp + from Greek, cheilos = lip.
unifasciatus: from Latin prefix, ūni- = one + from Latin, fascio = bundled, banded.
Original description: Cheilinus unifasciatus Streets, 1877 - Type locality: Tabuaeran or Fanning Atoll (both Gilbertese and English names are recognised), Line Islands, central Pacific Ocean and part of Kiribati.
Distribution
Eastern Indian Ocean, western and central Pacific Ocean: Christmas Island and Cocos-Keeling Islands east to Hawaiian Islands and Pitcairn Group, north to Ryukyu Islands and southern Japan, south to Western Australia, New Caledonia, Tonga and Rapa.
Biology
Usually solitary in coral rich areas of clear lagoon and seaward reefs. Hovers well above the bottom. Young secretive in soft corals and hydrozoans. Benthopelagic. Feeds mainly on fishes, shrimps and other crustaceans. Large individuals of this species are commonly marketed for food (may be ciguatoxic), and small individuals are occasionally seen in the aquarium trade. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding. Capable of changing sex.
Similar species
Oxycheilinus digramma (Lacepède, 1801) - Reported from New Caledonia - Link to the species (here).
Oxycheilinus orientalis (Günther, 1862) - Report from New Caledonia must be confirmed.
Oxycheilinus rhodochrous (Günther, 1867) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific. Randall & Khalaf, 2003 state that is a possible synonym of Oxycheilinus orientalis (Günther, 1862).