Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Marine; reef-associated; depth range 6 - 100 m. Subtropical; 25°S - 48°S, 140°E - 178°W
Southwest Pacific: southeastern Australia (New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania) and northeastern New Zealand.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ? range ? - ? cm
Max length : 11.7 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 530); 8.6 cm SL (female)
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10; Vertebrae: 25. Initial phase color: body red-orange above, paler posteriorly; with a white-bordered black ocellus at the base of the 9th and 10th dorsal rays. Terminal phase color: body deep crimson, paler below; pearly white stripe running from corner of mouth to caudal fin base; head with six bright blue lines. Predorsal scales 4 (3-5). Cheek scale 1 row behind the eye; 2 rows below eye. No scaly sheath at the base of dorsal and anal fins. Scales large. Pectoral fin with two rudimentary dorsalmost rays.
Occurs in sand patches adjacent to reef areas in shallow waters. The species is a facultative cleaner symbiont, removing parasites and damaged scales and skin from other fishes; also feeds on small crustaceans from the bottom and from seaweed fronds.
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturities | Reproduction | Spawnings | Egg(s) | Fecundities | Larvae
Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).
Russell, B.C., 1985. Revision of the Indo-Pacific labrid fish genus Suezichthys, with descriptions of four new species. Indo-Pac. Fish. (2):21 p. (Ref. 530)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
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Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature (Ref.
123201): 14.2 - 21.5, mean 15.8 °C (based on 122 cells).
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5002 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.00501 (0.00207 - 0.01214), b=3.15 (2.94 - 3.36), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 3.5 ±0.50 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Nutrients (Ref.
124155): Calcium = 68.1 [30.1, 151.8] mg/100g; Iron = 0.693 [0.362, 1.509] mg/100g; Protein = 18.5 [15.6, 20.8] %; Omega3 = 0.177 [0.090, 0.341] g/100g; Selenium = 15 [6, 34] μg/100g; VitaminA = 97.1 [24.7, 514.5] μg/100g; Zinc = 1.23 [0.70, 2.17] mg/100g (wet weight);
