Fivestripe wrasse

Fivestripe wrasse
Thalassoma quinquevittatum. Normal coloration
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Labridae
Genus: Thalassoma
Species: T. quinquevittatum
Binomial name
Thalassoma quinquevittatum
(Lay & E. T. Bennett, 1839)
Synonyms
  • Scarus quinquevittatus Lay & E. T. Bennett, 1839

The fivestripe wrasse, Thalassoma quinquevittatum, is a species of wrasse.

Etymology

The genus name derives from the Greek thalassa meaning sea and soma meaning body.[2] The Latin species name quinquevittatum means "five stripes".[3]

Description

Thalassoma quinquevittatum can reach 17 cm (6.7 in) in total length.[2] These colorful reef fishes have a complex and quite variable color pattern. The basic color of the body is green with longitudinal red or purple stripes, while the head shows various curved purplish lines and spots. Males change their color during courtship and while they defend their territory.[3] These fishes sometimes interbreed with Thalassoma duperrey.[3] The fivestripe wrasse can be found in the aquarium trade.[2]

Distribution

This species is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean.[2]

Habitat

The fivestripe wrasse is an inhabitant of coral reefs in quite shallow water of 1 to 5 m (3.3 to 16.4 ft) in depth.[3] It seems to particularly like areas with surge channels, plentiful algal growth, and Acropora coral plates.[2]

Bibliography

References

  1. Cabanban, A. & Pollard, D. 2010. Thalassoma quinquevittatum. In: IUCN 2013. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2013.1. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 17 November 2013.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2013). "Thalassoma quinquevittatum" in FishBase
  3. 1 2 3 4 Hawaii Fishes
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