Halichoeres chierchiae, Adult, Machalilla, Ecuador, Photo: Graham Edgar
Halichoeres chierchiae, Nicaragua, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Halichoeres chierchiae, Nicaragua, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Halichoeres chierchiae, Juvenile, Coiba, Panama, Photo: Graham Edgar
Distribution
Tropical Eastern Pacific
Description
Terminal phase with a blue and green mottled body, bright green cheek and patch behind pectoral fin, and a black and red blotch on mid back. Initial phase mottled red-brown with a yellow cheek and a white belly. Juveniles brown with blotchy white bands on body, white cheek and three small ocelli on dorsal fin.
Information
Max Size: 18 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 25.4-30.4°C
Depth: 1-70m
Habitat: Coral Reef, Rocky Reef
Habitat Generalisation Index: 16.2
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
Rarity
Threats: Exploitation
IUCN Threat Status: Least Concern
Occurrence: Common (40% 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: Many (23 per transect)
Abundance is calculated as the average number of individuals recorded per RLS transect, where present.