LABRIDAE Stethojulis interrupta, 6.0 cm SL (photo by Richard Winterbottom) Stethojulis interrupta (Bleeker, 1851) Cutribbon Wrasse D IX, 11; A III, 11; P1 12-13; LLp 25; GR 20-24. Body moderately elongate. Dorsal profile of head convex; jaws and mouth small; teeth small and incisiform, none notably enlarged. Pectoral fins set high on body. Lateral line abruptly curved below posterior portion of dorsal-fin base; head scaleless; scales on thorax about half the size of those on body. Color: initial phase yellowish brown to brownish grey with bluish white dots and short lines on back, whitish with black dots below, the two zones usually separated by a narrow diffuse blackish stripe; a narrow whitish stripe, sometime edged in black, from upper base of pectoral greenish to olive grey on upper half of body, white below, the two zones separated by a narrow blue stripe, at least posteriorly; a narrow blue stripe from above eye, along back adjacent to dorsal fin, and ending in upper part of caudal fin; 2 horizontal narrow blue stripes on head, one above and one below eye; a bright orange spot above pectoral-fin base. Size: maximum length about 13 cm. Distribution: Indo-Pacific, from Red Sea and East Africa to Mariana Islands and Samoa. Remarks: common in areas of mixed sand and coral to the depths of about 15 m. Feeds mainly by sorting small animals from mouthfuls of sand and detritus taken by quick pecks at the substratum.