Pastel Ring Wrasse

Description

Elongated compressed body with small scales. Scaleless head. Juveniles whitish with three narrow orange-red stripes. Caudal fin slightly rounded in juveniles to double emarginate in large adults. Initial phase pale bluish, greenish or pinkish gray with 20-23 orange brown bars on body, a black spot on opercular flap, body of terminal males light blue-green, pinkish or yellowish with lavender-blue to purple bars, and often a pale yellowish bar in pectoral region bordered by purple bars, head pale green with a purplish red band in each lopeand elongate spots in central part.

Max length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; common length : 38.0 cm TL male/unsexed

Destribution

Indo-Pacific: East Africa south to southern Natal, South Africa and east to Samoa and the Line Islands.

Habitat

Inhabit seaward reefs, in areas of mixed sand, rubble and coral to at least 30 m depth. Juveniles seen in groups near the bottom while adults found high above the bottom. Juveniles and females usually in small groups. Males solitary and territorial, patrolling large sections of reefs. Feed mainly on fishes (about 50%) and crustaceans (shrimps) and to a lesser extent on brittlestars and polychaetes.