Common Name: Harlequin Tuskfish
Scientific Name: Choerodon fasciatus
Family: Labridae (Wrasse)
Distribution in Australia: North-eastern coast of Australia from Coffs Harbour, NSW to Cape York Peninsula, Qld.
Habitat: Coastal species that occupies lagoons located in outer reef areas. Adults may form small loose groups in cave zones or around overhangs located near reef slopes. Juveniles prefer to remain alone near reef walls that drop off to channels.
Size/Age: Up to 250 mm in length.
Adaptations:
Teeth: Harlequin Tuskfish have a mouth filled with blue teeth. To warn other fish, when it feels threatened, the Harlequin Tuskfish’s teeth change colour from blue to pink.
Warning colours: The colourful patterned body also warns predators that their flesh may be inedible, bad-tasting or poisonous.
Summary:
Body colour: Adults are easily identified by orange/red stripes over the head and body. Towards the yellow tail, the back area is dark blue to purple. Juveniles have small black spots on the fins.
Locomotion: Like many of the fish species inhabiting coral reefs, their pectoral fins move in a flapping motion, and are used for forward movement. There is little propulsion by the tail as found in pelagic, schooling fish. The tail is used for steering, which is very important when navigating through tight crevices and between corals and caves.
Further Information:
Male or female? The Harlequin Tuskfish belong to the Wrasse family, where the young all hatch as females. Social groups develop as they mature into adults. The most dominant female of this group goes through physiological changes, from a female to a male. He (she) then roosts over a harem of females. When he dies or leaves the group, the next most dominant female changes sex into a male.
