Coris gaimard
Gaimard wrasse | Clown Wrasse | Gaimard Rainbow-wrasse | Red-finned Rainbowfish | Yellowtail Coris
Coris gaimard, female, NSW, Australia, Photo: Ian Shaw
Coris gaimard, juvenile, NSW, Australia, Photo: Ian Shaw
Coris gaimard, juvenile, NSW, Australia, Photo: Ian Shaw
Coris gaimard, Torres Strait, Qld, Photo: Andrew Green
Similar Species
Distribution
Temperate Australasia, Tropical Indo-Pacific
Description
Male with dark green-blue body, bright yellow tail, wide green stripes on head, light green bar on side, bright blue spots aligned in rows increasing in density towards tail base and dorsal and anl fins red/orange. Females similar to males but with a red tint to body, lacks light bar on side and blue spots less dense but over larger area. Juveniles bright orange with four white black-edged saddles, and an additional white black-edged patch on snout. Yellow tail and location differ to C. cuvieri and C. formosa (Indian Ocean siblings).
Information
Max Size: 40 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 20.3-31.2°C
Depth: 1-50 m
Habitat Generalization Index: 9.98
Also referred to as the SGI (Species Generalisation Index), this describes the habitat niche breadth of the species. Species with values less than 15 are found in a relatively narrow range of reef habitat types (specialists), while those over 25 may be found on most hard substrates within their range (generalists). Learn more here.
Conservation and Rarity
IUCN Status: Least Concern
Occurrence: Frequent (12.4% of sites)
Occurrence describes how often the species is found on surveys within its distribution. It is calculated as the % of reef sites surveyed by RLS divers across all the ecoregions in which the species has been observed
Abundance: Few (2 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.
Edit by: Joe Shields