Description

Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 11. Identified by long snout when adult and distinguished by color or geography from its sibling G. caeruleus (Ref. 48636). Small juveniles lack the elongate snout (Ref. 37816).

Common Names

No common names available.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Teleostei

Order: Eupercaria/misc

Family: Labridae

Genus: Gomphosus

Species: Gomphosus varius Lacepède, 1801

Climate Zone

Location

Biology

A solitary species (Ref. 90102) found in coral-rich areas of lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of at least 30 m (Ref. 1602, 58302). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Feeds mainly on small benthic crustaceans, sometimes on small fishes, brittle stars, and mollusks (Ref. 2334). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.

Habitat

associated