Blue Tuskfish, Choerodon cyanodus (Richardson 1843)


Other Names: Blue Groper, Blue Tusk-fish, Blue-bone, Bluebone Groper, Blue-fish, Blue-tooth, Blue-toothed Tusk-fish, Grey Tusk-fish, White Spot Tuskfish

A Blue Tuskfish, Choerodon cyanodus, at Dampier, Western Australia. Source: Graham Edgar / Reef Life Survey. License: CC BY Attribution

Summary:
A greenish-grey or rusty brown tuskfish with a large pale patch below the rear of the dorsal fin, blue fin margins with distinctive blue tips on the caudal-fin lobes, and an irregular pale bluish bar along the chin. Some individuals have about 5 indistinct vertical saddles along the back, or a broad pale bar behind the head.

Cite this page as:
Bray, D.J. 2018, Choerodon cyanodus in Fishes of Australia, accessed 09 Oct 2024, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1922

Blue Tuskfish, Choerodon cyanodus (Richardson 1843)

More Info


Distribution

Recorded form the Houtman Abrohlos islands, around the tropical north to Sydney, New South Wales. In Western Australia, the species is abundant from Shark Bay northwards. Blue Tuskfish are not found on offshore atolls such as Scott Reef and Ashmore Reef. 
Mostly inhabits sheltered sand and rubble areas of reef flats and flat shelf bottoms of outer reef slopes to about 70 km offshore.

Features

Dorsal fin XIII, 7; Anal fin III, 10. Adults with second prominent anterior canine approximately same size as first, second canine slanted dorsally. 

Biology

A protogynous hermaphrodite, changing sex from female to male during the life cycle. In Shark Bay, spawning occurs during summer months, possibly in small groups.

Fisheries

Targeted by commercial and recreational fishers. Bag and size limits apply to this species in Queensland.

Species Citation

Labrus cyanodus Richardson 1843, Annals and Magazine of Natural History 1 11(71): 355. Type locality: Black Point, Port Essington, Queensland.

Author

Bray, D.J. 2018

Resources

Australian Faunal Directory

Blue Tuskfish, Choerodon cyanodus (Richardson 1843)

References


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

Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls.
 
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Blaber, S.J.M., Brewer, D.T. & Salini, J.P. 1992. A checklist of the fishes of Groote Eylandt, north-western Gulf of Carpentaria. Report 218. Hobart : CSIRO Marine Laboratories 14 pp.

Castelnau, F.L. de 1875. Researches on the fishes of Australia. Intercolonial Exhibition Essays. 2. pp. 1–52 in, Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition of 1876 : Official Record. Melbourne. (as Chaerops crassus) See ref online

Choat, J.H. 1969. Studies on the biology of labroid fishes (Labridae and Scaridae) at Heron Island, Great Barrier Reef. PhD. Thesis, University of Queensland.

De Vis, C.W. 1885. New fishes in the Queensland Museum. No. 5. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 1 9(4): 869-887 (as Choerops albigena, Choerops concolor, Choerops olivaceus,and Choerops unimaculatus). Ref at BHL

Fairclough, D.V. 2005. The biology of four tuskfish species (Choerodon: Labridae) in Western Australia. PhD thesis, Murdoch University, Western Australia.

Fairclough, D.V., Clarke, K.R., Valesini, F.J & Potter, I.C. 2008. Habitat partitioning by five congeneric and abundant Choerodon species (Labridae) in a large subtropical marine embayment. Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science 77(3): 446–456. DOI:10.1016/j.ecss.2007.10.004 

Fairclough, D., Russell, B. & Kulbicki, M. (Grouper & Wrasse Specialist Group) 2004. Choerodon cyanodus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. . Downloaded on 14 May 2015.
Grant, E.M. 1975. Guide to Fishes. Brisbane : Queensland Government, Co-ordinator General’s Department 640 pp.

Ferry-Graham L.A., Wainwright, P.C., Westneat, M.W. & Bellwood, D.R. 2002. Mechanisms of benthic prey capture in wrasses (Labridae). Marine Biology 141: 819-830.

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Gomon, M.F. 2017. A review of the tuskfishes, genus Choerodon (Labridae, Perciformes), with descriptions of three new species. Memoirs of Museum Victoria 76: 1-111 DOI: http://doi.org/10.24199/j.mmv.2017.76.01Open access

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Hutchins, J.B. 1994. A survey of the nearshore reef fish fauna of Western Australia's west and south coasts — The Leeuwin Province. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 46: 1-66 figs 1-6 

Hutchins, J.B. 1997. Checklist of fishes of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia. pp. 239-253 in Wells, F. (ed.) The Marine Fauna and Flora of the Houtman Abrolhos Islands, Western Australia. Perth : Western Australian Museum.

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.

Hutchins, J.B. 2003. Checklist of marine fishes of the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia, pp 453-478. In: F.E. Wells, D.I. Walker & D.S. Jones (eds). The Marine Flora and Fauna of Dampier, Western Australia. Western Australian Museum, Perth.

Johnson, J.W. & Gill, A.C. 2005. Reef and shore fishes of Sweers Island, Gulf of Carpentaria. Gulf of Carpentaria Scientific Study Report. Geography Monograph Series. Brisbane: Royal Geographic Society of Queensland. pp. 239-260 

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp. 

Kuiter, R.H. 2010. Labridae fishes: wrasses. Seaford, Victoria, Australia : Aquatic Photographics 398 pp.

Larson, H.K. & Williams, R.S. 1997. Darwin Harbour fishes: a survey and annotated checklist. pp. 339-380 in Hanley, H.R., Caswell, G., Megirian, D. & Larson, H.K. (eds). The Marine Flora and Fauna of Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Proceedings of the Sixth International Marine Biology Workshop. Darwin : Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory 466 pp.

Marshall, T.C. 1964. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coastal Waters of Queensland. Sydney : Angus & Robertson 566 pp. 136 pls.

Puckridge, M., Last, P.R. & Andreakis, N. 2015. The role of peripheral endemism and habitat associations in the evolution of the Indo-West Pacific tuskfishes (Labridae: Choerodon). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 84: 64-72. Abstract

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs.

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Richardson, J. 1843. Contributions to the ichthyology of Australia. Annals and Magazine of Natural History 1 11(71): 352-359 Ref at BHL

Richardson, J. 1848. Ichthyology. 75-139 pls 42-43 & 44 (parts), 45-52, 53 in Richardson, J. & Gray, J.E. (eds). The Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror under the Command of Captain Sir James Clark Ross, R.N., F.R.S., during the years 1839–43. London : Smith, Elder & Co. Vol. 2 139 pp.

Roughley, T.C. 1957. Fish and Fisheries of Australia. Sydney : Angus & Robertson 341 pp.

Wainwright, P.C., Bellwood, D.R., Westneat, M.W., Grubich, J.R. & Hoey, A.S. 2004. A functional morphospace for the skull of labrid fishes: patterns of diversity in a complex biomechanical system. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 82: 1-25.

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Quick Facts


CAAB Code:37384072

Biology:Hermaphrodite

Conservation:IUCN Least Concern

Fishing:Commercial,recreational fish

Habitat:Reef associated, seagrass/macroalgae areas

Max Size:71 cm TL

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Species Maps

CAAB distribution map