Canarytop Wrasse, Halichoeres leucoxanthus Randall & Smith 1982

Other Names: Banana Four Spot, Lemon Meringue Wrasse, Whitebelly Wrasse, Yellow Wrasse

Summary:

A distinctive wrasse with a bright yellow upper half and white underside. Juveniles are canary yellow.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2025, Halichoeres leucoxanthus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 21 Apr 2025, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/Home/species/5024

Canarytop Wrasse, Halichoeres leucoxanthus Randall & Smith 1982

More Info

Distribution	Australian territory of Christmas Island in the eastern Indian Ocean. Elsewhere, the species occurs in the Indian Ocean: India, Maldives, Gulf of Mannar (India) and Myanmar east to Christmas Island (Australia) and western Indonesia. Inhabits sandy and rubble areas along the reef edge - often in small groups. Dives into the sand to sleep at night.
Biology	A protogynous hermaphrodite. Females and juvenile live in a small harem with a dominant male.
Etymology	The specific name leucoxanthus is from the Greek leucos (= white) and xanthus (= yellow), in reference to the "striking" half-white and half-yellow coloration of this species.
Species Citation	Halichoeres leucoxanthus Randall & Smith, 1982, Ichthyological Bulletin of the J. L. B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology 45: (3) 20, Pl. 8 (figs. C-D). Type locality: Eastern end of Java, Indonesia.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2025
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Canarytop Wrasse, Halichoeres leucoxanthus Randall & Smith 1982

References

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp.

Allen, G.R. & Steene, R.C. 1988. Fishes of Christmas Island Indian Ocean. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 197 pp.

Allen, G.R., Steene, R.C. & Orchard, M. 2007. Fishes of Christmas Island. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 2 edn, 284 pp.

Choat, J.H. 2010. Halichoeres leucoxanthus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2010: e.T187428A8533012. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187428A8533012.en. Accessed on 17 January 2025.

Gomon, M.F. & Randall, J.E. 1984. Labridae. In W. Fischer & Bianchi, G. (eds.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Indian Ocean fishing area 51. Vol. 2.

Hobbs, J-P.A., Newman, S.J., Mitsopoulos, G.E.A., Travers, M.J., Skepper, C.L., Gilligan, J.J., Allen, G.R., Choat, H.J. & Ayling, A.M. 2014. Checklist and new records of Christmas Island fishes: the influence of isolation, biogeography and habitat availability on species abundance and community composition. Raffles Bulletin of Zoology Supplement 30: 184–202

Kuiter, R.H. 2002. Fairy and rainbow wrasses and their relatives – a comprehensive guide to selected labrids. TMC Publishing, Chorleywood, UK.

Kuiter, R.H. 2010. Labridae fishes: wrasses. Seaford, Victoria, Australia : Aquatic Photographics 398 pp. (as Biochoeres leucoxanthus)

Kuiter, R.H. & Tonozuka, T. 2001. Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes. Part 2. Fusiliers - Dragonets, Caesionidae - Callionymidae. Zoonetics, Australia. p. 304-622.

Randall, J.E. & Smith, M.M. 1982. A review of the labrid fishes of the genus Halichoeres of the western Indian Ocean, with descriptions of six new species. Ichthyological Bulletin of the J. L. B. Smith Institute of Ichthyology 45: 1-26.