Xyrichtys novacula
Pearly Razorfish
Collection Details
Specimens
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Taxonomic Hierarchy
Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fishes)
Perciformes (Perciformes, Also Called the Acanthopteri)
Labridae (Wrasses)
Xyrichtys
Xyrichtys novacula (Pearly Razorfish)
Description
This species account was compiled from
Composite (multiple sources) (McEachran, J.D. and J.D. Fechhelm. Fishes of the Gulf of Mexico. University of Texas Press, Austin.)
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Characters
Elongate and very compressed, with anterior two dorsal spines more flexible than remainder of spines and lateral line interrupted posteriorly. Anterior profile of head is nearly vertical. Upper jaw is little protrusible. Two jaw teeth adjacent to symphysis are caninelike and directed anteriorly; remaining teeth are small, stout, and arranged in a single row. Preopercular margin is membranous. Gill membranes are united and joined to isthmus. Gill rakers on first arch are short and number 18 to 21, with 6 or 7 on upper limb. Measurements are expressed as percent of SL: head length 27%–31%, snout length 12%–17%, eye diameter 4%–5%, upper jaw length 7%–8%, pectoral fin length 18%–20%, pelvic fin length 13%–15%, body depth 30%–36%. Pectoral fin has 12 rays, with 2 unbranched and remainder branched. Dorsal fin originates over eye and consists of nine spines and 12 rays, with first two spines separated by membranous gap from remainder of spines. Anal fin has three spines and 12 or 13 rays. Caudal fin is rounded. Body and base of caudal fin are covered with scales, and scales also occur on nape, upper part of operculum, and cheek. Lateral line has 19 to 22 scales in anterior section and 6 in posterior section on caudal peduncle. Diagonal row of scales on cheek extends anteriorly to below center of eye. Scales between origin of dorsal fin and lateral line number 5.
Color is dull green dorsally, grading to orange on side, with a blue mark on each scale. A red band is located just posterior to pectoral fin. Head has a number of alternating blue and orange vertical lines below eye.
Distribution
In the western Atlantic it occurs between the shoreline and 80 m from North Carolina and Bermuda to Brazil, including the northern and southern Gulf of Mexico, the Bahamas, and the Antilles.
northern and southern Gulf of Mexico
Habitat Associations
tropical and subtropical Atlantic, between the shoreline and 80 m
sand and coral rubble
Biology
Food consists of mollusks, shrimps, and crabs.
Maximum known size is 220 mm SL.
Inhabits clear shallow areas with sandy bottoms, usually in the vicinity of seagrass beds and corals (Ref. 2683). Feeds mainly on mollusks; also crabs and shrimps (Ref. 3726). A protogynous hermaphrodite; sexual dimorphism apparent in head shape and length of pelvic fin (Ref. 5292). Builds nests with coral debris. Dives head first into the sand when frightened (Ref. 9710). Marketed fresh (Ref. 3726).
Reproductive mode: protogyny; fertilization: external.
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2008-04-12. Resilience: Medium (tmax=8).
Commercial or Environmental Importance
Fisheries: minor commercial; gamefish; aquarium: commercial.
References
Randall 1965b
Randall 1968a
Randall 1996
Böhlke and Chaplin 1968
Hastings and Bortone 1976
Chittenden and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1977
Hoese and Moore 1998
Robins and Ray 1986
Boschung 1992
Schaldach et al. 1997
Smith 1997
Smith-Vaniz et al. 1999
Westneat 2002a
Schneider, W. (1990) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Field guide to the commercial marine resources of the Gulf of Guinea. Prepared and published with the support of the FAO Regional Office for Africa. Rome: FAO. 268 p.
Gomon, M.F. (1978) Labridae. In W. Fischer (ed.) FAO species identification sheets for fishery purposes. Western Central Atlantic (Fishing Area 31). Vol. 3. pag.var.
Randall, J.E. (1986) Labridae. p. 683-706. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Quignard, J.-P. and A. Pras (1986) Labridae. p. 919-942. In P.J.P. Whitehead, M.-L. Bauchot, J.-C. Hureau, J. Nielsen and E. Tortonese (eds.) Fishes of the north-eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean. UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2.
Gomon, M.F. and P. Forsyth (1990) Labridae. p. 868-882. In J.C. Quero, J.C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.) Check-list of the fishes of the eastern tropical Atlantic (CLOFETA). JNICT, Lisbon, SEI, Paris; and UNESCO, Paris. Vol. 2.
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.
Randall, J.E. (1996) Caribbean reef fishes. Third Edition - revised and enlarged. T.F.H. Publications, Inc. Ltd., Hong Kong. 3nd ed. 368 p.
Smith, C.L. (1997) National Audubon Society field guide to tropical marine fishes of the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, Florida, the Bahamas, and Bermuda. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., New York. 720 p.
Cardinale, M., F. Colloca and G.D. Ardizzone (1997) Feeding ecology of Mediterranean razorfish Xyrichthys novacula in the Tyrrhenian Sea (Central Mediterranean Sea). J. Appl. Ichthyol. 13(3):105-111.
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