Sea Goldie

Color patterns vary from one locality to another.Description: Characterized by female having violet-edged orange stripe behind eye; fleshy protuberance at front of upper lip absent in male; prolonged third dorsal spine of female, elongate in male; lunate caudal fin (Ref. 90102).

Pelagic spawner. A monandric species (Ref. 55367). Females are induced to change sex by removal of males from social groups (Ref. 38802). Sex-reversal is completed in 2-4 weeks after male removal in the area, or 170-280 days in an all female group (Ref. 34185, 34249, 34250). Length at sex change = 5.0 cm TL (Ref. 55367). Also Ref. 103751.Successful males spawn nightly with successive females (Ref. 37816).

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 15 - 17; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 6 - 7

Found above coral outcrops or patch reefs of clear lagoons, channels, or outer reef slopes. Feeds on zooplankton.

Adults are found above coral outcrops or patch reefs of clear lagoons, channels, or outer reef slopes. Form large aggregations. Feed on zooplankton (Ref. 6113). A protogynous hermaphrodite (Ref. 55367). Males are territorial and haremic (Ref. 9710). Color patterns and size of sexual transition very slightly from one locality to the next. Total length for females from Ref. 9137.

fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial; price category: very high; price reliability: very questionable: based on ex-vessel price for species in this family