A white wrasse with a black grid over its flank, working the sand between coral heads at a steady pace. The pattern is unmistakable and the behavior is characteristic: it moves, stops, tips down, blows into the sand and picks something out.
That is how it lives. It takes mouthfuls of sediment, sorts small crustaceans, worms and molluscs out inside the mouth, and expels the clean sand through the gills - the same technique the sifting gobies use, done by a much larger fish.
It also follows. Rays, larger wrasses and goatfish that dig get a checkerboard in tow, taking whatever is uncovered and missed.
Juveniles are white with black blotches and a false eyespot on the dorsal fin, which points a predator at the wrong end. Adults reach 27 cm (11 in), and the biggest fish on a patch is a male that used to be female.
The genus. Halichoeres Rüppell 1835 - halios (sea) + choiros (hog). ETYFish
The species. Halichoeres hortulanus (Lacepède 1801) - belonging to a garden. ETYFish
- white body with a bold black checkerboard grid over the flank
- yellow patch on the back, green head with pink lines
- juveniles white with black blotches and a false eyespot on the dorsal fin
- length up to 27 cm
Why it's threatened
There are no major threats known to this species.
Threat classification from the IUCN Red List.
