Thalassoma amblycephalum
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)
Thalassoma
Thalassoma amblycephalum
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. Juveniles easily identified by the color pattern and rounded snout. Males become brightly colored and head usually green with a yellow band following on the body (Ref. 48636). Head naked, no scales dorsally on opercle. Initial phase with a broad blackish stripe from snout through eye to caudal-fin base (Ref 9823). Striking features: none.
Distribution
Indo-Pacific: Somalia (Ref. 30573) and South Africa (Ref. 4392) to the Line, Marquesan, and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Rowley Shoals, northern New Zealand and Lord Howe and Rapa islands.
Habitat Associations
Marine. reef-associated. depth range 0-15 m. Found in: coral reefs.
Biology
Occurs in aggregations over shallow lagoon and seaward reefs (Ref. 9710) and on reef flats (Ref. 9823). Feeds mainly on crustacean zooplankton (Ref. 1602). Spawns at dusk above reefs (Ref. 90102). Rarely marketed (Ref. 2334). Minimum depth reported taken from Ref. 128797.
Max length: 16.0 cm SL.
Reproductive mode: dioecism; fertilization: external; mating system: monogamy. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2009-03-04. Resilience: Medium (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.
Myers, R.F. (1991) Micronesian reef fishes. Second Ed. Coral Graphics, Barrigada, Guam. 298 p.
Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene (1990) Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 506 p.
Sano, M., M. Shimizu and Y. Nose (1984) Food habits of teleostean reef fishes in Okinawa Island, southern Japan. University of Tokyo Bulletin, no. 25. v,128p. University of Tokyo Press, Tokyo, Japan. 128 p.
Westneat, M.W. (2001) Labridae. Wrasses, hogfishes, razorfishes, corises, tuskfishes. p. 3381-3467. In K.E. Carpenter and V. Niem (eds.) FAO species identification guide for fishery purposes. The living marine resources of the Western Central Pacific. Vol. 6. Bony fishes part 4 (Labridae to Latimeriidae), estuarine crocodiles. FAO, Rome.
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