Thrush Sneaky Wrasse, Pteragogus turdus Iino & Motomura 2022


Other Names: Indian Sneaky Wrasse, Sneaky Wrasse

A Thrush Sneaky Wrasse, Pteragogus turdus, from Chilcott Reef in the Coral Sea, January 2017. Source: Andrew Green / iNaturalist.org. License: CC by Attribution-NonCommercial

Summary:
A secretive mottled reddish-brown mottled wrasse with an ocellated spot on the gill cover.
In Australia, this species was previously known as Pteragogus cryptus, which is restricted to the Western Indian Ocean.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2023, Pteragogus turdus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 29 Mar 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1256

Thrush Sneaky Wrasse, Pteragogus turdus Iino & Motomura 2022

More Info


Distribution

Monte Bello Islands to Rowley Shoals and Scott Reef, Western Australia, and reefs in the far northern Great Barrier Reef and reefs in the Coral Sea, to at least Lady Elliot Island, Queensland; also the Lord Howe Province in the Tasman Sea. Elsewhere the species is widespread in the East-Indo-west Pacific.
Inhabits lagoon and seaward reefs, usually sheltering and well-hidden among soft corals and benthic algae in areas with rich soft or hard coral growth or scattered algae.

Features

Dorsal fin X,9-10; Anal fin III, 9; Pectoral fin 12-14; Caudal fin 12; Gill rakers 10-15; Lateral-line scales 23-26. 
Dorsal profile of head straight; 10th dorsal-fin spine relatively short, its length 14.3–20.6% (mean 17.0%) of SL; longest pelvic-fin soft ray length 16.5–24.3% (20.4%) of SL; anterior two or three dorsal-fin spines with filamentous membrane tips in terminal phase males; anal-fin spines with relatively short filamentous membrane tips.

Size


Colour

Anterior nostril with dark brown margin; three slightly curved bluish-grey vertical lines usually on cheek below eye; white stripe usually on head extending from snout tip to upper end of opercle through upper part of iris (distinct in life); large circular or elliptical dark brown blotch (subequal to eye size) margined with faint yellow or orange on upper opercle; a few small dark brown spots on mid-lateral surface of body; no black spots on abdomen; dark brown blotch on membrane between 1st and 2nd dorsal-fin spines (sometimes indistinct in life); dark brown spot usually below base of last dorsal-fin soft ray; pelvic fin generally pale reddish-white with a broad reddish-brown medial band (Iino & Motomura 2023).

Feeding

Feeds on benthic invertebrates.

Fisheries

Occasionally collected for the aquarium trade.

Etymology

The specific name is from the Latin turdus (= thrush), in reference to the white stripe extending from the snout tip to the upper end of the opercle and an indistinct reticulated pattern on the body, which are reminiscent of the dusky thrush (Turdus eunomus). 

Species Citation

Pteragogus turdus Iino & Motomura 2022, Ichthyological Research 70: 208, Figs 1,3. Type locality: Alite Reef, Solomon Islands, Western Pacific, depth 15 m.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2023

Resources

Atlas of Living Australia

Thrush Sneaky Wrasse, Pteragogus turdus Iino & Motomura 2022

References


Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls. (as Pteragogus cryptus)

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp. (suggested the eastern Indian Ocean and west-Pacific populations may be an undescribed speceis).

Donaldson, T.J. 1995. Courtship and spawning of nine species of wrasses (Labridae) from the western Pacific. Japanese Journal of Ichthyology 42(3/4): 311-319. (as Pteragogus cryptus)

Hutchins, J.B. 2001. Biodiversity of shallow reef fish assemblages in Western Australia using a rapid censusing technique. Records of the Western Australian Museum 20: 247-270 (as Pteragogus cryptus)

Iino, T. & Motomura, H. 2022. Pteragogus turdus, a new species of wrasse (Perciformes: Labridae) from the Indo-West Pacific Ocean. Ichthyological Research 70: 207–214. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10228-022-00875-0

Kuiter, R.H. 1992. Tropical Reef-Fishes of the Western Pacific, Indonesia and Adjacent Waters. Jakarta : PT Gramedia Pustaka Utama 314 pp. pls. (as Pteragogus cryptus)

Kuiter, R.H. 1997. Guide to sea fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Frenchs Forest, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers I-xvii, 434 pp. (as Pteragogus cryptus)

Kuiter, R.H. 2002. Fairy & Rainbow Wrasses and their Relatives. Chorleywood, U.K. : TMC Publishing 207 pp.

Kuiter, R.H. 2010. Labridae fishes: wrasses. Seaford, Victoria, Australia : Aquatic Photographics 398 pp. (as Pteragogus sp. 5)

Kuiter, R.H. & T. Tonozuka. 2001. Pictorial guide to Indonesian reef fishes. Part 2. Fusiliers - Dragonets, Caesionidae - Callionymidae. Zoonetics, Australia. pp. 304-622 (as Pteragogus cryptus)

Oxley, W.G., Ayling, A.M., Cheal, A.J. & Osborne, K. 2004. Marine surveys undertaken in the Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs Marine National Nature Reserve, December 2003. Townsville : Australian Institute of Marine Sciences 64 pp. (as Pteragogus cryptus)

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs. (as Pteragogus cryptus)

Westneat, M.W. 2001. Labridae. pp. 3381-3467 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds) The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218. (as Pteragogus cryptus)

Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37384033

Depth:2-67 m

Fishing:Aquarium fish (rare)

Habitat:Reef associated

Max Size:8.2 cm SL

Species Image Gallery

Species Maps

CAAB distribution map