LABRIDAE


Pseudocheilinus hexataenia, 3.5 cm SL
(photo by Richard Winterbottom)


Pseudocheilinus hexataenia
(Bleeker, 1857)
Sixstripe Wrasse

D IX, 11; A III, 9; P1 14-17; LLp 16-19 + 5-8; GR 12-18.

Body moderately deep. Snout pointed, moderately long; 4 large canines on each side at front of upper jaw, and 1 pair anteriorly on lower jaw. Eye with modified scleral cornea forming a double pupil. Preopercular margin smooth. Lateral line interrupted; head scaled except interorbital, snout and ventrally; a sheath of scales at base of dorsal and anal fins. Caudal fin slightly rounded. Color: upper two-thirds of body with alternating stripes of purplish blue and orange-yellow; lower part of body purplish orange; caudal fin green; a small blue-edged black spot on upper part of caudal peduncle near caudal-fin base. Size: maximum length about 7 cm. Distribution: Indo-Pacific, from East Africa and Red Sea to Society Islands and Tuamotu Archipelago. Remarks: inhabits seaward reefs at depths of 2-35 m. A secretive species, lives among the branches of live corals and feeds primarily on small crustaceans.