Novaculichthys
{{Short description|Genus of fishes}}
{{Speciesbox
| image = Rockmover wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus).jpg
| image_caption = In Indonesia
| status = LC
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| parent_authority = Bleeker, 1862
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Novaculichthys taeniourus
| authority = (Lacépède, 1801)
| synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets = true|title=Genus synonymy
| Malacocentrus T. N. Gill, 1862
| Dimalacocentrus T. N. Gill, 1863
| Semachlorella Fowler & B. A. Bean, 1928
}}
{{collapsible list|bullets = true|title=Species synonymy
| Labrus taeniourus Lacépède, 1801
| Hemipteronotus taeniourus (Lacépède, 1801)
| Julis bifer Lay & E. T. Bennett, 1839
| Novaculichthys bifer (Lay & E. T. Bennett, 1839)
}}
| synonyms_ref = {{Cof family|family=Labridae|access-date=23 January 2020}}{{FishBase|Novaculichthys|taeniourus|month=August|year=2019}}
}}
Novaculichthys taeniourus, also known as the rockmover wrasse, carpet wrasse, dragon wrasse, bar-cheeked wrasse, olive-scribbled wrasse or reindeer wrasse, is a species of wrasse mainly found in coral reefs and lagoons in the Indo-Pacific region. These include habitats in the Gulf of California to Panama; tropical Pacific Ocean islands including Hawaii; the Philippines, Indonesia and Australia; and the Indian Ocean to the east coast of Africa. The common name, "rockmover wrasse", comes from their behavior of upending small stones and reef fragments in search of prey. This species is the only known member of its genus.
Etymology
The genus "Novaculichthys", in Latin Novacula means razor, and ikhthús in Greek, means fish., while the specific name "taeniourus" from Greek tainía means ribbon, and oura means tail.
Distribution
They are widely distributed in tropical Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean reefs and lagoons.
Habitat
Adult fish live on shallow, semi-exposed reef flats and in lagoons and seaward reefs to depths of {{convert|14|–|25|m|ft|abbr=on}}. They prefer hard-bottomed grassy areas of mixed sand and rubble with exposure to a mild surge. Juveniles favor shallow areas on rubble among large patch reefs or protected open patches on reef crests.
Description
The rockmover wrasse is a colorful fish, {{convert|27|–|30|cm|abbr=on}} in length.{{cite news| title = Novaculichthys taeniourus| publisher = zipcodezoo.com| date = April 10, 2008| url = http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/N/Novaculichthys_taeniourus/| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120314013149/http://zipcodezoo.com/Animals/N/Novaculichthys_taeniourus/| archive-date = March 14, 2012}} It has an oblong, laterally compressed body and a wedge-shaped head. Its head is scaleless except for two scales on the upper part of the gill coverings and an almost vertical row of small scales behind each eye.
Juveniles and adults have markedly different appearances. In juveniles, the first two dorsal fin spines are long and extended, drooping over the fish's forehead to form a "cowlick". As the fish matures, the elongated rays are lost. The adult fish has a dark greenish-brown body with an elongated white spot on each scale. Its head is gray-blue with brown lines radiated from the eyes. Two black spots occur in front of the dorsal fin and a wide vertical white bar is found on the base of the caudal fin. The posterior part of the caudal fin and the pelvic fins are black. Juveniles found in Hawaii are usually green and those in the western Pacific are burgundy to brownish. Both are spotted in white.{{citation needed|date=December 2021}}
The difference in appearance between juvenile and adult N. taeniourus is so striking, the common name "rockmover wrasse" is used for adults and "dragon wrasse" is used for juveniles.{{cite web |title=The Dragon Wrasse: The Good, The Bad, and The Beautiful |url=http://www.fishchannel.com/fish-magazines/aquarium-fish-international/april-2011/dragon-wrasse.aspx |access-date=19 April 2016}}{{cite news | title = Rockmover Wrasse| publisher =Aquarium of the Pacific | date = April 10, 2008| url = http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/onlinelearningcenter/full_description/rockmover_wrasse/}}
File:Rockmover Wrasse,Novaculichthys taeniourus, 2 mile reef imported from iNaturalist photo 15669937.jpg|South Africa
File:Rockmover Wrasse, Novaculichthys taeniourus, 70987 La Crucecita, Oaxaca, Mexico imported from iNaturalist photo 463676690.jpg|Mexico
File:Rockmover Wrasse, Novaculichthys taeniourus, HI 96740, USA imported from iNaturalist photo 458777050.jpg|Hawaii
File:Rockmover Wrasse, Novaculichthys taeniourus, Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawaii County, US-HI, US imported from iNaturalist photo 352981975.jpg|Hawaii
File:Rockmover Wrasse, Novaculichthys taeniourus, Hawaii County, HI, USA imported from iNaturalist photo 414828359.jpg|Hawaii
File:ObiTMKside.jpg|Japan
File:Rockmover wrasse (Novaculichthys taeniourus) - 49760085237.jpg|Indonesia
File:Novaculichthys taeniourus Amami.jpg|Captivity
Reproduction
Behavior
These fish are highly territorial and pairs of adults often protect large areas of reef.{{cite web|last1=Bray|first1=Dianne|title=Carpet Wrasse, Novaculichthys taeniourus|url=http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/259|website=Fishes of Australia|access-date=15 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181104170245/http://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/259|archive-date=4 November 2018|url-status=dead}}
The fish feed on benthic invertebrates including molluscs, crabs and polychaete worms. One fish turns or shifts large pieces of debris or rubble, grabbing or pulling it with its mouth or pushing it with its snout. When the working member of the pair has revealed the prey, the other fish quickly grabs and eats it. Juveniles do not usually work in pairs, doing all the work themselves. Facing danger, these wrasses quickly dive into the sand for protection.
Juveniles resemble algae and mimic the movements of detached, drifting seaweed by swaying back and forth in the currents.
= Construction of sleeping mounds =
In Japan, rockmover wrasses have been recorded constructing mounds made of coral fragments and sand to sleep in. Each evening, a wrasse would create a mound of sand, before topping the mound with up to 70 pieces of round or flattened coral fragments. These primarily consist of faviid corals. When moving coral fragments that are too large to be picked, the fish will drag it while swimming backwards. Shortly before sunset, the wrasse will move a few pieces of coral to open up an entrance, before diving into the mound to spend its night.{{Cite journal |last1=Takayanagi |first1=S. |last2=Sakai |first2=Y. |last3=Hashimoto |first3=H. |last4=Gushima |first4=K. |date=November 2003 |title=Sleeping mound construction using coral fragments by the rockmover wrasse |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1095-8649.2003.00243.x |journal=Journal of Fish Biology |language=en |volume=63 |issue=5 |pages=1352–1356 |doi=10.1046/j.1095-8649.2003.00243.x |bibcode=2003JFBio..63.1352T |issn=0022-1112|url-access=subscription }}
File:Rockmover Wrasse, Novaculichthys taeniourus, Puako, HI, USA imported from iNaturalist photo 167880378.jpg|Young adult, in Hawaii
File:Novaculichthys taeniourus. Коричневая рыба-нож.DSCF0434.webm|Moving rocks while foraging
File:Cleaning station.jpg|Being attended by Hawaiian cleaner wrasses.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{SealifePhotos|219035}}
{{Taxonbar|from1=Q3492696|from2=Q2704903}}
Category:Fish of the Indian Ocean