Environment / Climate / Range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 6 - 100 m. Subtropical; 25°S - 48°S, 140°E - 178°W
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 11.7 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 530); 8.6 cm SL (female)
Short description
Morphology | Morphometrics
Dorsal
spines
(total): 9;
Dorsal
soft rays
(total): 11;
Anal
spines: 3;
Anal
soft rays: 10;
Vertebrae: 25. Initial phase color: body red-orange above, paler posteriorly; with a white-bordered black ocellus at the base of the 9th and 10th dorsal rays. Terminal phase color: body deep crimson, paler below; pearly white stripe running from corner of mouth to caudal fin base; head with six bright blue lines. Predorsal scales 4 (3-5). Cheek scale 1 row behind the eye; 2 rows below eye. No scaly sheath at the base of dorsal and anal fins. Scales large. Pectoral fin with two rudimentary dorsalmost rays.
Southwest Pacific: southeastern Australia (New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania) and northeastern New Zealand.
Occurs in sand patches adjacent to reef areas in shallow waters. The species is a facultative cleaner symbiont, removing parasites and damaged scales and skin from other fishes; also feeds on small crustaceans from the bottom and from seaweed fronds.
Russell, B.C., 1985. Revision of the Indo-Pacific labrid fish genus Suezichthys, with descriptions of four new species. Indo-Pac. Fish. (2):21 p.
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 90363)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
More information
Common namesSynonymsMetabolismPredatorsEcotoxicologyReproductionMaturitySpawningFecundityEggsEgg development
Age/SizeGrowthLength-weightLength-lengthLength-frequenciesMorphometricsMorphologyLarvaeLarval dynamicsRecruitmentAbundance
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
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Estimates of some properties based on empirical models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82805): PD
50 = 0.5010 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01061 (-0.15153 - 0.17274), b=3.04 (2.95 - 3.13), based on LWR estimates for this family-BS (Ref.
93245).
Trophic Level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.50 se; Based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
69278): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low to moderate vulnerability (26 of 100) .