Let Me ID Your Wrasse!

evolved · Jul 23, 2017

bonomo53 said:
Thanks for the help. The thing that is throwing me off is the red circular mark. Do the Fiji specimens also get that i couldn't seem to find a picture?

The red spot on the side? That's a characteristic of the species, regardless of region. However, scottorum always fades in captivity, and that red spot is one of the first markings to go.

eatbreakfast · Jul 24, 2017

evolved said:
No, it can't be from the Cooks with the black present in the dorsal. The fin patterns actually best match specimens from American Samoa, but that's pretty close to Fiji.
TJ (@eatbreakfast) might know more than I one this one.

Looks like the Fiji variant to me. They have been coming in pretty regularly.

2una · Jul 27, 2017

Hi Guys -time for me to call on your thoughts
Would you id that as Isosceles or not?

evolved · Jul 27, 2017

2una said:
Hi Guys -time for me to call on your thoughts
Would you id that as Isosceles or not?

For sure.

2una · Jul 27, 2017

evolved said:
For sure.

Thank you very much Sir - your guys input here is 2nd to none

ascheff · Jul 28, 2017

Hi @evolved , @eatbreakfast , et al,

I'd like to get a positive ID on this guy, please?

He was sent as a katherinae from the Philippines, but I've read in earlier posts in this thread that they are often confused with temminckii. I need to be sure I'm getting the former, as he'd be going in with a few other Cirrhilabrus - lineatus, isosceles, lubbocki - as well as a few other wrasses.

The photo was sent by the store, but I'll go through a bit later to take some more photos if the identity isn't clear from this photo.

eatbreakfast · Jul 28, 2017

ascheff said:
Hi @evolved , @eatbreakfast , et al,

I'd like to get a positive ID on this guy, please?

He was sent as a katherinae from the Philippines, but I've read in earlier posts in this thread that they are often confused with temminckii. I need to be sure I'm getting the former, as he'd be going in with a few other Cirrhilabrus - lineatus, isosceles, lubbocki - as well as a few other wrasses.

The photo was sent by the store, but I'll go through a bit later to take some more photos if the identity isn't clear from this photo.

That is indeed the male katheinae from the Philippines.

ascheff · Jul 28, 2017

eatbreakfast said:
That is indeed the male katheinae from the Philippines.

Ah, thanks so much, that makes me very happy.

JAWS 32 · Jul 28, 2017

Hi, could you tell me if this is a type of Pencil wrasse. And if so, which kind? None of my books had one with the black on the tail. Thanks!

evolved · Jul 28, 2017

JAWS 32 said:
Hi, could you tell me if this is a type of Pencil wrasse. And if so, which kind? None of my books had one with the black on the tail. Thanks!

Yes, Pseudojuloides cerasinus.

JAWS 32 · Jul 28, 2017

Thx Evolved!

JAWS 32 · Jul 28, 2017

I was just looking in my book again at that type of Pencil Wrasse and saw the black tail. I didn't think it was that type because the color pattern is different. I guess they vary in their patterns. Thanks again!

saltyhog · Jul 28, 2017

H. melanurus or H. chrysotaenia? was sold as Vrolik's but I'm not so sure.

Maritimer · Jul 29, 2017

To me, it looks like H. melanurus, but if T.J. or Hunter say anything different, listen to them - not to me!

~Bruce

eatbreakfast · Jul 29, 2017

It's definitely H. melanurus. The pattern on the tail is the dead giveaway. H. chrysotaenia has spots on the tail.

saltyhog · Jul 29, 2017

Thanks TJ! As I suspected.

A little disappointed with Live Aquaria on this one. This isn't a hard species to differentiate, they shouldn't have gotten it wrong.