Description

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 11. Differs from the very similar C. unifasciatus by always lacking the white bar in front of the caudal base as well as the area clear of red streaks extending from the eye to just above the pectoral axis (Ref. 1602).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Eupercaria/misc

Family: Labridae

Genus: Oxycheilinus

Species: Oxycheilinus digramma (Lacepède, 1801)

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

Found solitary (Ref. 90102) in lagoon and sheltered seaward reefs in coral rich areas (Ref. 1602, 58652). Possibly to 120 m depths. Young is more inshore on sheltered reef crests or slopes, usually amongst soft corals or stinging hydrozoans (Ref. 48635). Feeds on hard-shelled mollusks, crustaceans, and sea urchins (Ref. 27550). The species is observed to swim with a group of goatfish and change its color to resemble these fish, it then darts out from the group to catch small fish (Ref. 2334). This species curiously approaches divers closely (Ref. 90102).

Habitat

brackish