Teleostei (teleosts) >
Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) >
Labridae (Wrasses) > Julidinae
Etymology: Halichoeres: Greek, als, alis = salt + Greek, choiros = pig (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Professor Felipe Poey y Aloy (1799–1891) was a Cuban zoologist, naturalist and artist. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.
More on author: Steindachner.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 70 m (Ref. 9710). Tropical; 30°N - 33°S, 98°W - 31°W
Western Atlantic: southern Florida, USA and the Bahamas to São Paulo, Brazil (Ref. 57756).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 7251)
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 12. Small individuals yellowish green with a black spot, edged in light red, behind eye; a small black spot at rear base of dorsal fin. Large adult males are dull green, the centers of the scales with a dull orange red spot; caudal fin with a median longitudinal and upper and lower diagonal converging blue-edged rose bands (Ref. 13442).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal.
Maximum depth from Ref. 126840. Commonly found in clear seagrass beds; uncommon on reefs or muddy bays (Ref. 9710). A protogynous hermaphrodite (Ref. 55367). Generally of no interest to fisheries because of its small average size (Ref. 5217).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Diandric. Forms leks during breeding (Ref. 55367). Length at sex change = 8.3 cm TL (Ref. 55367).
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. (Ref. 7251)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
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