Teleostei (teleosts) >
Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) >
Labridae (Wrasses) > Corinae
Etymology: Halichoeres: Greek, als, alis = salt + Greek, choiros = pig (Ref. 45335).
More on author: Linnaeus.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 2 - 55 m (Ref. 9710), usually 5 - 45 m (Ref. 27115). Tropical; 23°C - 27°C (Ref. 27115); 37°N - 19°S, 98°W - 28°W
Western Atlantic: Bermuda, throughout the West Indies, Florida, the Carolinas, and Gulf of Mexico; found at the Brazilian oceanic islands of St. Paul's Rocks, Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rochas. Does not co-occur with H. brasiliensis in Brazilian coastal waters.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 51.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251); common length : 40.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5217)
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 12. Two pairs of enlarged canines in lower jaw; anterior lateral line scales with 3 or more pores per scale; body depth 2.7-3.6 in SL; distinctive 4 or 5 narrow pale bars along the dorsum, more evident in specimens up to 20 cm SL; yellow margin on caudal fin (Ref. 48669).
Adults found on shallow patch or seaward reefs down to 55 m (Ref. 9710); juveniles and subadults in shallower (1 to 5 m) coral reefs (Ref. 3726). Feeds on mollusks, sea urchins, crustaceans, and brittle stars (Ref. 9710). Marketed fresh (Ref. 3726).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | 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: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Reports of ciguatera poisoning (Ref. 30303)
Human uses
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish: yes; aquarium: commercial
Tools
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 24 - 28, mean 26.8 °C (based on 406 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00977 (0.00468 - 0.02039), b=3.09 (2.92 - 3.26), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this Genus-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.1 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Moderate vulnerability (40 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 36.5 [21.1, 60.5] mg/100g; Iron = 0.503 [0.295, 0.906] mg/100g; Protein = 18.8 [16.0, 21.0] %; Omega3 = 0.144 [0.095, 0.215] g/100g; Selenium = 32.8 [19.4, 53.6] μg/100g; VitaminA = 84.9 [25.1, 324.7] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.43 [1.04, 2.28] mg/100g (wet weight);
