Ceylon Wrasse

Females light bluish gray dorsally, white ventrally, with a narrow orange stripe running from the top of the snout to the upper base of the caudal fin (where it may contain a blackish spot). Males blue-green on head and anterior portions of the body with irregular pink band and spots; their orange-yellow lateral stripe blue-edged, often with narrow extensions; a blue-edged spot at the upper portion of the pectoral fin base, and two or more similar blue-edged spots just anterior of the caudal peduncle above the lateral stripe.

Distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 11

Diurnal carnivore (Ref. 113691).

Inhabits open sand and rubble areas of seaward reefs, to depths greater than 34 m (Ref. 9710). Usually in small groups of females with single males patrolling the area (Ref. 48636).

aquarium: commercial

分布於印度-西太平洋區，由紅海到薩摩亞，北至日本、台灣，南至大堡礁海域等。台灣東部及南部有分布。

中小型之隆頭魚，體色鮮豔，是適合水族觀賞的魚類，非食用經濟魚種。臺灣分布較稀少。

體延長，側扁；眼間隔稍突。口端位，稍傾斜；上下頜各具 4與 2犬齒，後犬齒極大。頭部無鱗，鰭無鞘鱗。D. IX, 11；A. III, 11；P. 13；L.l. 27；背鰭軟條部稍高於棘部；腹鰭第一棘不延長至肛門；幼、雌魚尾鰭稍圓，雄成魚呈雙截形。體色會隨著體型的大小或是雌雄而有所不同，雌魚體背側淡藍灰色，腹側白色，體側由吻端至尾鰭基部上側具一窄橘色縱帶，體側中部縱帶上方具一黑斑；雄魚頭部藍綠色，和體側前部皆具有規則之粉紅色斑紋和斑點，體側之縱帶偏金黄色且具藍緣，胸鰭基部上端具一藍緣黑點，縱帶上方於尾柄附近另具2個或以上之藍緣黑點。

主要棲息於珊瑚礁區向海面及礁砂混合區，深度超過34公尺以上。夜晚潛沙而眠，白天則出現在礁區或沙地上，捕捉有著硬殼的無脊椎動物為食。具性轉變的行為，是屬於先雌後雄型的型態。