Description

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. Body variable from brown to yellow or green mixed with various color shades or spots. Males develop long filaments on the caudal fin (Ref. 48636). Young with a broad, dark lateral stripe which breaks into dark blotches in adults, the largest above distal pectoral fins. A small dark spot behind eye. Mouth terminal or lower jaw slightly projecting. Caudal fin of terminal males rhomboid, with central rays longest, and dorsalmost caudal-fin ray elongated into a short filament. A small species (reaching about 14 cm) (Ref 9823).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Eupercaria/misc

Family: Labridae

Genus: Oxycheilinus

Species: Oxycheilinus bimaculatus (Valenciennes, 1840)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Inhabits outer reef slopes or deep clear lagoons among rubble or clumps of algae; also in seagrass beds (Ref. 1602, 41878, 58302). Often in sheltered estuaries and harbors (Ref. 48636). Benthic and benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Maximum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.

Habitat

associated