Diamond Wrasse, Anampses caeruleopunctatus Rüppell 1829

Other Names: Bluespotted Wrasse, Blue-spotted Wrasse, Spotted Chisel-tooth Wrasse, Spotted Chisel-toothed Wrasse

A male (terminal phase) Diamond Wrasse, Anampses caeruleopunctatus, at North Solitary Island, New South Wales, May 2016. Source: Ian Shaw / iNaturalist.org. License: CC By Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:

Males (Terminal Phase) are dark bluish to bluish-green with a pale green vertical bar behind the pectoral-fin base, narrow blue lines on the head, blue lips, a pale blue stripe between the eyes and a vertical blue dash on each body scale. Females (Initial Phase) are reddish-brown with iridescent blue spots forming rows along the side, blue lines and dashes on the head, pale blue spots on the caudal fin, reddish anal and pelvic fins and a narrow transparent margin on the tail. Juveniles have a broad transparent margin on the caudal fin which lacks the pale blue spots of females. Very small juveniles are a mottled olive-green with narrow brown stripes and a mostly transparent tail.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2022, Anampses caeruleopunctatus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 17 Apr 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/1217

Diamond Wrasse, Anampses caeruleopunctatus Rüppell 1829

More Info

Distribution	Widespread in Australia from Rottnest Island to the Dampier Archipelago and offshore reefs of NW Western Australia, Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea, and the northern Great Barrier Reef and reefs in the Coral Sea, to Sydney, New South Wales, with Juveniles south to Barunguba Island (Montague Island); also Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean, and the Lord Howe Province in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere the species is widespread in the tropical, Indo-west-central Pacific
Features	Dorsal fin IX, 11-13; Anal fin III, 11-13; Lateral-line scales 27; Gill rakers 18-25. Body relatively elongate; body depth 2.3-3.2 in SL; body width 2.2-2.7 in depth; head length (HL) 2.6-3.1 in SL; snout 2.3-2.7 in HL; eye 2.6-3.7 in snout. Mid-dorsal region of nape naked or with small deeply embedded scales continuous across the dorsal part of nape.Dorsal-fin spines flexible; caudal fin truncate to slightly rounded; pectoral fins 1.6-1.9 in HL; pelvic fins 2.1-2.5 in HL.
Colour	Body colour of Initial Phase (IP): brown to orange-brown, a dark edged pale blue spot on each scale; head reddish-brown to orange-brown, with dark-edged narrow blue bands; dorsal fin brown to brownish-red with small dark-edged blue spots, a narrow blue margin and black submarginal line; anal fin brownish-red to red and 2 or 3 rows of small dark-edged blue spots, a narrow blue margin, and black submarginal line; caudal peduncle with reddish hue on upper and lower margins; caudal fin brown to reddish-brown with small dark-edged blue spots and blue margins; pectoral base with a dusky orange-red bar, edged in blue, the upper portion blackish. Colour of Terminal Phase (TP): each scale of body olive with a dark-edged blue vertical line (except on thorax, abdomen, and nape where the blue segments are shorter and variously oriented); head with irregular, narrow, dark edged, blue bands, a broad blue band across anterior interorbital space; most individuals with a broad light green bar on side centered on sixth dorsal spine, the area anterior to this and the region of the nape coloured reddish to reddish-brown; dorsal and anal fins reddish with broad margins and basal stripes of bright blue, dorsal with a median band of small dark-edged blue spots and the anal with one or two blue stripes in middle of fin; reddish caudal fin with prominent blue margins and blue stripes along rays, but with an upper and lower zone of fin largely free of blue; pectoral base with an orange or orange-brown blue-edged bar, the upper portion of which is blackish. It has been reported that during courtship, the blue band between the eyes and around the mouth, and the single light green bar on the body of the male became brighter.
Biology	The species is a protogynous hermaphrodite, and forms small haremic groups with a dominant male patrolling the territory.
Etymology	The specific name caeruleopunctatus is from the Latin caeruleus (= blue) and punctatus (= spotted) in reference to the blue spot or ocellus on each scale of females (initial phase).
Species Citation	Anampses caeruleopunctatus Rüppell 1829, Fische des Rothen Meeres 2: 42, pl. 10(1). Type locality: El Tur, Red Sea.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2022
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Diamond Wrasse, Anampses caeruleopunctatus Rüppell 1829

References

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