Oxycheilinus mentalis

Oxycheilinus mentalis (mental wrasse) is a species of wrasse found in the Western Indian Ocean, in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.[2]

Oxycheilinus mentalis
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Labridae
Genus: Oxycheilinus
Species:
O. mentalis
Binomial name
Oxycheilinus mentalis
(Rüppell, 1828 )
Synonyms[2]

Cheilinus mentalis Rüppell, 1828

It has been known to change its colouration to match species of non-predatory parrotfish and surgeonfish. It then swims with these harmless model species and predates upon passing fish. This is a form of aggressive mimicry.[3] Without a model fish, the mental wrasse has a reddish pink colour.

References

  1. Liu, M.; To, A. (2010). "Oxycheilinus mentalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T187735A8616212. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187735A8616212.en. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  2. Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2019). "Oxycheilinus mentalis" in FishBase. August 2019 version.
  3. Randall, J. E. (2005). A review of mimicry in marine fishes. Zoological Studies, 44(3), 299–328.


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