Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; demersal. Tropical
Western Atlantic: southern Florida (USA), Bahamas, and northeastern Gulf of Mexico to Greater Antilles and Central America (Ref. 7251). Also western Caribbean, Antilles, Yucatan (Mexico) (Ref. 26938).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 7.5 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251)
Dorsal soft rays (total): 7 - 37; Anal spines: 2. Common amongst Labrisomids: small, often elongate fishes; largest species about 20 cm standard length, most under 10 cm standard length. Head usually with cirri or fleshy flaps on anterior nostrils, eyes, and laterally on nape; gill membranes continuous with each other across posteroventral surface of head. Each jaw with an outer row of relatively large, canine-like or incisor-like teeth, often with patches of smaller teeth behind; teeth usually also present on vomer and often on palatines (roof of mouth). Dorsal and anal fins long, frequently highest anteriorly; dorsal-fin spines often flexible, outnumbering segmented dorsal-fin soft rays; 2 usually flexible spines in anal fin; pelvic fins inserted anterior to pectoral-fin bases, with 1 spine not visible externally; all fin rays, including those of caudal, unbranched (simple). Cycloid (smooth to touch) scales present at least posteriorly on body. Body coloration: varying from drab to brilliant hues; usually with irregular vertical bands, spots, or marbled pattern. Species distinguished by: length of shortest pelvic-fin ray half, or less than half, length of longest ray; pectoral-fin rays usually 14; maxillary bone exposed posteriorly; patches of small teeth behind outer row of large teeth in at least upper jaw; palatine teeth present, some distinctly larger than those on vomer and some equal in size; two or more cirri on each side of nape just anterior to dorsal-fin origin; pelvic-fin soft rays 3 (innermost ray may be reduced in length and folded over middle ray); scales in lateral-line series 40 to 69 (some scales in posterior portion of lateral line may lack sensory tubes, but are included in count); lateral-line tubes or canals present at least anteriorly on body; dorsal fin consisting of spines and 7 to 37 segmented rays (Ref.52855).
Occurs from rocky and rubble shores with algal mats to reefs and seagrass beds.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Robins, C.R. and G.C. Ray, 1986. A field guide to Atlantic coast fishes of North America. Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, U.S.A. 354 p. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
Download XML
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 26.4 - 28.2, mean 27.5 °C (based on 577 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5078 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00490 (0.00196 - 0.01224), b=3.09 (2.87 - 3.31), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.7 ±0.6 se; based on size and trophs of closest relatives
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
