Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
Ringtail Maori Wrasse | Ringtail Wrasse | Tail-band Maori Wrasse | Whiteband Maori Wrasse | Cheilinus unifasciatus
Oxycheilinus unifasciatus, adult, Photo: Graham Edgar
Oxycheilinus unifasciatus, Photo: Rick Stuart-Smith
Oxycheilinus unifasciatus, Mellish Reef, Coral Sea, Photo: Graham Edgar
Oxycheilinus unifasciatus, juvenile, Frederick Reef, Coral Sea, Photo: Graham Edgar
Distribution
Tropical Indo-Pacific
Description
Variable and often multi-coloured body with a white bar on tail base, wide red-edged stripe from eye to above pectoral fin base, and a series of parallel oblique red bars on lower face below eye.
Information
Max Size: 46 cm
Sea Temperature Range: 22.3-30.1°C
Depth: 1-160m
Habitat Generalization Index: 18.67
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 (22.3% 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