Variegated Wrasse, Coris batuensis (Bleeker, 1857)
Batu Coris, Batu Rainbow-wrasse, Pallid Wrasse, Schroeder's Coris, Schroeder's Rainbow Wrasse, Variegated Rainbowfish, Yellow Wrasse
Introduction
The Variegated Wrasse occurs in tropical marine waters and can be recognised by its colouration, which varies as the fish grows. It inhabits sandy areas and feeds on crabs and gastropods.
Identification
The Variegated Wrasse can be recognised by its colouration, which varies as the fish grows.
Juveniles are olive-green above and white below. They have bright orange spots on the head and belly. There is a dark brown stripe from the mouth to the eye. A series of narrow white bars extend from the dorsal fin onto the top of the body and there are three black ocelli on the front, middle and rear of the dorsal fin.
Female Variegated Wrasse have a grey-greenish body and irregular blackish bars on the back. There are irregular pink bars on the face, a vertical elongate black spot behind the eye and a black bar on the pectoral fin base. They also have three black ocelli on the dorsal fin.
Males are similar to the females, but have a greener body and may lose some of the ocelli in the dorsal fin.
Habitat
The Variegated Wrasse inhabits sandy areas of coral reefs and protected lagoons. This fish is usually found at depths between 1 m and 34 m.
Distribution
The Variegated Wrasse occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific, from the Maldives, north to Japan, throughout Micronesia, south to Australia and east to Tonga.
In Australia the species is known from the north-western coast of Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland to the northern coast of New South Wales.
The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information. Source: Atlas of Living Australia.
Feeding and diet
It feeds on crabs and gastropods.
Life history cycle
The movie, below, shows juveniles of the species.
References
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2002. Fairy and Rainbow Wrasses and their Relatives. A Comprehensive Guide to Selected Labroids. TMC Publishing. Pp. 208.
- Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 222.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 415.
- Randall, J.E., 1999. Revision of the Indo-Pacific labrid fishes of the genus Coris, with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes (29):74.