Shorefishes of the Eastern Pacific online information system

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Species: Halichoeres nicholsi, Spinster wrasse

All Families:   All Genera:   All Species:

IP: white + dark stripe & bar
TP: bluey-grey + dark bar & yellow cheek
juvenile: whitish + large ocellus on D

Halichoeres nicholsi (Jordan & Gilbert, 1882)

Spinster wrasse

Elongate, compressed;  2 pairs of enlarged at front of upper and lower jaws; a large canine at rear of top jaw;  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 28 pored scales.

IP: light green on back, whitish below; a broad diffuse blackish stripe along middle of side, joined by short blackish bar below base of anterior part of dorsal fin; TP: mainly bluish or green with broad blackish bar behind head and bright yellow spot just above pectoral fin; juveniles whitish to yellowish with irregular blackish stripes and blotches on side, and relatively large ocellated black spot on middle of dorsal fin.

Size: to 38 cm.

Habitat: rocky and rubble bottoms.

Depth: 0-82 m.

Gulf of California to Ecuador, also the Revillagigedos, Cocos, Galapagos and Malpelo.


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Salinity
  • Marine Only
  • Marine
Inshore/Offshore
  • Inshore
  • Inshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Bottom
  • Bottom only
Habitat
  • Rocks
  • Sand & gravel
  • Reef associated (reef + edges-water column & soft bottom)
  • Reef (rock/coral/oyster)
  • Soft bottom (mud/sand/gravel/beach/estuary/mangrove/seagrass)
  • Reef and soft bottom
FishBase Habitat
  • Reef Associated
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Mobile benthic crustacea (shrimps/crabs)
  • Sea-stars/cucumbers/urchins
  • Mobile benthic gastropods/bivalves
  • Data
  • Ectoparasites
  • Mobile benthic worms
Egg Type
  • Pelagic
  • Pelagic larva
  • Data
Global Endemism
  • East Pacific endemic
  • All species
  • Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Island (s)
  • TEP endemic
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • North Temperate (Californian Province &/or Northern Gulf of California)
  • Northern Subtropical (Cortez Province + Sinaloan Gap)
  • Northern Tropical (Mexican Province to Nicaragua + Revillagigedos)
  • Equatorial (Costa Rica to Ecuador + Galapagos, Clipperton, Cocos, Malpelo)
IUCN Red List
  • Least concern
  • Listed
CITES
  • Not listed
Length Max
  • 38
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 82