Macropharyngodon meleagris
Leopard wrasse | Blackspotted Wrasse | Eastern Leopard Wrasse | Guinea Fowl Wrasse | Reticulated Wrasse
Similar Species
Distribution
Tropical Indo-Pacific
Description
Males reddish with evenly spaced green spots in rows along body, elongated green spots on face, and a yellow and black mark on rear of operculum. Females white with irregular black blotches on body and orange spots on fins. Juveniles mottled with a small ocellus on rear of dorsal and anal fins, have peculiar drifting swimming style, appearing as pieces of weed.
Information
Max Size: 15 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 19.1-30.4°C
Depth: 0-30 m
Habitat Generalization Index: 19.16
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 (19.3% 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