Cigar Wrasse (species: Cheilio inermis) in taxonomy (Gaia Guide)
Animalia > Bilateria > Deuterostomia > Chordata > Vertebrata > Pisces > Actinopterygii > Neopterygii > Teleostei > Acanthopterygii > Perciformes > Labroidei > Labridae > Cheilio > Cheilio inermis (gallery)
Cheilio inermis
Cigar Wrasse


©John Turnbull: Camp Cove

©Anne: Initial phase Cheilio inermis at Big Vicki's Reef, Lizard Island.

©Lloyd Shepherd: Initial phase Cheilio inermis in seagrass at Casuarina Beach, Lizard Island.

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Actinopterygii
Order Perciformes
Family Labridae
Genus Cheilio
Species Cheilio inermis
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Colours

                             

Distinguishing features

Young individuals are usually a mottled brown or green, sometimes with a broad lateral stripe. Rare individuals may be uniformly yellow. Large males may develop a bright yellow, orange, black, white, or multicolored patch on their sides behind their pectoral fins. (Fishbase)

Size

  • Up to 50 cm (Standard Length)

Depth range

  • From 1 m to 30 m

Synonyms

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Distribution and habitat preferences

They inhabit seagrass beds and algal-covered flats, occasionally in lagoon and seaward reefs. (Fishbase)

Web resources

References

  • Allen, G., R. Steene, P. Humann and N. Deloach (2003). Reef fish identification: Tropical Pacific New World Publications Inc., Jacksonville, FL, USA.
  • Elliott, J.P. and D.R. Bellwood (2003). Alimentary tract morphology and diet in three coral reef fish families, Journal of Fish Biology, 63: 1598-1609. LIRS catalog number 876.
  • Grutter, A.S. (1997). Effect of the removal of cleaner fish on the abundance and species composition of reef fish, Oecologia, 111: 137-143. LIRS catalog number 504.
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