LABRIDAE


Thalassoma lunare
(photo by Mark Strickland)



Thalassoma lunare, 10.7 cm SL
(from North Sulawesi, Indonesia; photo by Seishi Kimura)


Thalassoma lunare
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Moon Wrasse

D VIII, 13; A III, 11; P1 15; LLp 25; GR 18-20.

Body moderately slender. Dorsal profile of head slightly convex; mouth small, 2 prominent canines anteriorly in each jaw. Lateral line abruptly curved below posterior portion of dorsal-fin base; head naked except for a patch of small scales on upper end of opercle; scales on thorax about half the size of those on body. Caudal fin varying from truncate in young to highly lunate with upper and lower corners produced into filaments in large adults. Color: initial phase green with vertical red lines on scales; head green with many irregular rose pink bands; a blue-edged rose pink band in each lobe of caudal fin, the broad central and posterior part of fin yellow; pectoral fins blue with a broad pink band in upper central part. Terminal males similar but more blue overall. Juveniles olive green on upper half of body, blue-white below; a large black spot in middle of dorsal fin and a large diffuse blackish spot at caudal-fin base. Size: maximum length about 25 cm. Distribution: Indo-Pacific, from Red Sea to Line Islands. Remarks: found on coral and rocky reefs at depths of 1-20 m. Feeds primarily on small benthic invertebrates.