Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes
(Perch-likes) > Labridae
(Wrasses) > Corinae
Etymology: Halichoeres: Greek, als, alis = salt + Greek, choiros = pig (Ref. 45335).
Environment / Climate / Range
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 15 m (Ref. 86942). Tropical
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 12.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 2272)
soft rays: 11 - 12;
Vertebrae: 25. Young green when in seagrasses and greenish brown on reefs. Recognized by the unusual color patterns on the cheek or the black spotted scales over the back (Ref. 48636). Preserved male specimens with pale spots on scales; dark spot behind eye (continuous with a bifurcating dark band which extends ventrally); another on opercle; a dark band on snout from upper lip to eye; head with bands; spot on upper caudal base may be present or absent (present in females). Anterior lateral line scales with 1-3 pores (usually 2); 5-6 suborbital pores. Anterior dorsal and anal soft rays longer than posterior rays; pelvic fins of males relatively short, not reaching anus.
Indo-West Pacific: Sri Lanka to Fiji (Ref. 9710) and Tonga (Ref. 53797), north to Taiwan, south to northern Australia.
Found usually in groups (Ref. 90102) in shallow coastal reefs and seagrass flats (Ref. 9710), also in algae-rocky reef flats and lagoons (Ref. 48636).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Randall, J.E., 1980. Two new Indo-Pacific labrid fishes of the genus Halichoeres, with notes on other species of the genus. Pac. Sci. 34(4):415-432. (Ref. 2136)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 96402)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Threat to humans
Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
Common namesSynonymsMetabolismPredatorsEcotoxicologyReproductionMaturitySpawningFecundityEggsEgg development
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805
= 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00851 (0.00482 - 0.01503), b=3.04 (2.89 - 3.19), based on LWR estimates for this species & Genus-body shape (Ref. 93245
Trophic Level (Ref. 69278
): 3.4 ±0.5 se; Based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Resilience (Ref. 69278
): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref. 59153
): Low vulnerability (22 of 100) .