Hemigymnus melapterus

Half-and-half wrasse | Blackedge Thicklip Wrasse | Blackeye Thicklip | Thicklip Wrasse
Hemigymnus melapterus
Hemigymnus melapterus, male, Bali, Indonesia, Photo: Ian Shaw
Hemigymnus melapterus
Hemigymnus melapterus, juvenile, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Hemigymnus melapterus
Hemigymnus melapterus, female, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Hemigymnus melapterus
Hemigymnus melapterus, juvenile, Lord Howe Island, NSW, Australia, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Hemigymnus melapterus
Hemigymnus melapterus, juvenile, Lord Howe Island, NSW, Australia, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
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Hemigymnus melapterus
Hemigymnus melapterus
Hemigymnus melapterus
Hemigymnus melapterus
Hemigymnus melapterus

Distribution

Tropical Indo-Pacific


Description

Thick lips, pink scribbles around eye. Males green with dark rear scale margins and light sub-margins, and an enclosed patch behind eye. Females and juveniles with a two tone body, head and fore body silver, divided by an oblique white bar from a black rear body with light vertical streaks on scales, dark patch behind eye and juveniles with a yellow tail.


Information

Max Size: 90 cm

Sea Temperature Range: 19.1-31.2°C

Depth: 1-30 m

Habitat Generalization Index: 22.33

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: Common (36.2% 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