Wrasse ID?

[Boomer]

Matt

Here is another one

On another note have you seen this fish data base ?
http://fishpix.kahaku.go.jp/fishimage-e/search.html

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Matt

Here is another one

On another note have you seen this fish data base ?
http://fishpix.kahaku.go.jp/fishimage-e/search.html

Yup.

 

[Matt_Wandell]

About a year ago, Scott Micheals and Jake Adams were by my house and they even argued which type he was.

Hi, do you remember which species they were arguing it was?

It could also be that this fish is H. zeylonicus from the Indian Ocean. The two are very similar looking.

 

[Boomer]

Matt

Look at the beginning of the Caudal Peduncle. All Halichoeres hartzfeldii have a spot in the same place and the Halichoeres zeylonicus does not. Making IMHO the fish in question a Halichoeres zeylonicus. What you think ?

Halichoeres zeylonicus

Halichoeres hartzfeldii

 

[Matt_Wandell]

I see now why Jake and Scott were arguing about this.

I have a pretty good idea where this fish originated from so it would make it for sure H. zeylonicus. It certainly is hard to tell based on appearance alone though. For instance H. zeylonicus looks to have a black area near the middle of the lateral line, which isn't apparent on this fish.

 

[Boomer]

Yes, I saw that band also but threw it out, as it is and is not on pics of both par "this" one So, you are really agreeing with me it is a H. zeylonicus :lol:

 

[chefzif]

That is a Christmas Wrasse

 

[Boomer]

That's no Christmas Wrasse This is a CW

 

[Matt_Wandell]

Yes, I saw that band also but threw it out, as it is and is not on pics of both par "this" one So, you are really agreeing with me it is a H. zeylonicus :lol:

Yup. :thumbsup:

 

[SDguy]

For instance H. zeylonicus looks to have a black area near the middle of the lateral line, which isn't apparent on this fish.

Actually, if you look really closely, you can sort of see some disruption in the pattern right in that area, with a similar shape. Perhaps it develops later in life?

 

[DFS]

Greetings,
I wanted to chime in here as this is surely one of the more difficult Labroids to identify unless you know the origin of the fish.

I traced back the sales of Halichoeres zeylonicus which came from Sri Lanka (Indian Ocean) and we did in fact received one back in June of 2009, which was listed in the Divers Den section of our site on July 17th, 2009. I am not sure if this is the same fish or not but some of the markings on the image listed below are very similar to bradleyj's fish, which is more mature.

The Sri Lankan Halichoeres zeylonicus can be found in the Indian Ocean and Halichoeres hartzfeldii from the Western Pacific exported mainly from Indonesia. Both of these fishes are very similar in appearance. Halichoeres zeylonicus differs from the latter in that the males will display a broken area on or above the mid-lateral stripe, and will also have slightly different facial markings. Adult Male Halichoeres hartzfeldii can also display a similar broken area, but it will reside below the mid-lateral stripe.

Matt and Boomer,
Great job on the ID of bradleyj's incredible labroid- Halichoeres zeylonicus.

Cheers,

 

[Boomer]

Bout time you showed up Buddy

Halichoeres zeylonicus. .........males will display a broken area on or above the mid-lateral stripe

Yup, and it is right there in his first pic.