Labroides phthirophagus
No common name
Collection Details
Specimens
Photos
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Records
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Labridae (Wrasses)
Labroides
Labroides phthirophagus
Description
This species account was compiled from
FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2025. FishBase. World Wide Web electronic publication. www.fishbase.org, version 04/2025.)
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Characters
Body shape: fusiform / normal.
Distribution
Eastern Central Pacific: Hawaiian Islands (Ref. 583) and Johnston Islands (Ref. 28618).
Habitat Associations
Marine. reef-associated. depth range 0-90 m. Found in: coral reefs.
Biology
Found in most coral reef habitats except in the surge zone (Ref. 9710). Benthopelagic (Ref. 58302). Obligate cleaner (Ref. 9710), picks parasitic crustaceans from other fishes. Monogamous (Ref. 52884). Swims with a dancing-flitting motion. It spends the night resting in a balloon-like mucous cocoon.
Max length: 12.0 cm TL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; mating system: monogamy; nonguarders (open water/substratum egg scatterers); parental care: none. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205). Monogamous mating is observed as both facultative and social (Ref. 52884).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2009-02-04. Resilience: High (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial.
References
Breder, C.M. and D.E. Rosen (1966) Modes of reproduction in fishes. T.F.H. Publications, Neptune City, New Jersey. 941 p.
Tinker, S.W. (1978) Fishes of Hawaii, a handbook of the marine fishes of Hawaii and the Central Pacific Ocean. Hawaiian Service Inc., Honolulu. 568 p.
Lieske, E. and R. Myers (1994) Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific & Caribbean including the Red Sea. Haper Collins Publishers, 400 p.
Whiteman, E.A. and I.M. Côté (2004) Monogamy in marine fishes. Biol. Rev. 79:351-375.
Comments On Labroides phthirophagus