- Classification
- ACTINOPTERYGII
- PERCIFORMES
- LABRIDAE
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Fish Classification
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Class
ACTINOPTERYGII Ray-finned fishes -
Order
PERCIFORMES Perches and allies -
Family
LABRIDAE Wrasses -
Genera
Achoerodus(2) Anampses(9) Austrolabrus(1) Bodianus(23) Bolbometopon(1) Calotomus(2) Cetoscarus(1) Cheilinus(5) Cheilio(1) Chlorurus(12) Choerodon(19) Cirrhilabrus(17) Coris(11) Cymolutes(2) Decodon(1) Diproctacanthus(1) Dotalabrus(2) Epibulus(2) Eupetrichthys(1) Gomphosus(1) Haletta(1) Halichoeres(21) Hemigymnus(2) Heteroscarus(1) Hipposcarus(2) Hologymnosus(4) Iniistius(8) Labrichthys(1) Labroides(3) Labropsis(3) Leptojulis(1) Leptoscarus(1) Macropharyngodon(5) Neoodax(1) Notolabrus(5) Novaculichthys(1) Novaculoides(1) Novaculops(2) Olisthops(1) Ophthalmolepis(1) Oxycheilinus(6) Paracheilinus(4) Pictilabrus(3) Pseudocheilinus(4) Pseudocoris(4) Pseudodax(1) Pseudojuloides(4) Pseudolabrus(4) Pteragogus(3) Scarus(22) Siphonognathus(6) Stethojulis(4) Suezichthys(7) Terelabrus(1) Thalassoma(10) Wetmorella(2) Xenojulis(1) Xiphocheilus(0)
Family LABRIDAE
Common name: Wrasses, parrotfishes, weed whitings
Summary:
A large family of mostly long, slender colourful fishes with a single long-based dorsal fin, well-developed pectoral fins used for swimming, thick lips, jaws with well-developed canine teeth and cycloid scales. Many species are protogynous hermaphrodites, changing sex from female to male during their life cycle, and most species have at least two sex-related colour forms.
Parrotfishes (formerly in the family Scaridae) occur throughout tropical and temperate reef habitats. They are important for reef ecosystems by removing algae and bioeroding the reef as they graze.
