Species: Halichoeres discolor, Cocos wrasse, Variegated wrasse
Halichoeres discolor Bussing, 1983
Variegated wrasse, Cocos wrasse
Moderately elongate, compressed; enlarged canine teeth at front of both jaws (1 pair above, 2 pairs below), a canine at rear of top jaws; dorsal fin IX, 11; anal rays III, 12; pectoral rays 13; lateral line unbroken, but abruptly bent down under rear of dorsal fin, its tubes branched, except those on tail base; lateral line with 27 pored scales.
IP: white (except head yellowish) with pair of blackish stripes on head and anterior most part of body; 3-4 large irregular blackish blotches on middle to lower half of side and smaller blotches at base or on dorsal fin; TP: bright yellow on lower half of head, cheeks with two blue stripes; belly yellow; mainly charcoal grey on upper half, with reddish blotches along top of back; tail fin with yellow margin and pair of yellow spots on basal part; juveniles similar to IP, but with more white coloration and with black ocellated spot at middle of dorsal fin.
Size: grows to 15 cm, common to 10 cm.
Habitat: in rock and rubble areas.
Depth: 1-30 m.
Isla del Coco and Malpelo, strays to Panama.
High Resolution Map Download
- Salinity
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- Marine
- Marine Only
- Inshore/Offshore
-
- Inshore
- Inshore Only
- Water Column Position
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- Bottom only
- Bottom
- Habitat
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- Corals
- Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
- Reef only
- Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
- Rocks
- FishBase Habitat
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- Reef Associated
- Feeding Group
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- No Data
- Carnivore
- Diet
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- Mobile benthic worms
- Sea-stars/cucumbers/urchins
- Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
- Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
- No Data
- Egg Type
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- Pelagic larva
- Pelagic
- No data
- Global Endemism
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- East Pacific endemic
- Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
- All species
- Regional Endemism
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- Island (s) only
- TEP oceanic island (s) endemic
- TEP endemic
- Multiple oceanic islands endemic
- Island (s)
- All species
- Residency
-
- Resident
- Climate Zone
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- Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
- IUCN Red List
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- Vulnerable
- Listed
- CITES
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- Not listed
- Length Max
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- 15
- Depth Range Min
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- 1
- Depth Range Max
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- 30
