Oxycheilinus mentalis, commonly referred to as the mental wrasse, is a species of wrasse located in the 🌊 Western Indian Ocean, including the 🌊 Red Sea and 🌊 Gulf of Aden. Notably, this species exhibits the ability to alter its coloration to resemble that of non-predatory undefined and surgeonfish. By doing so, it associates with these benign model species, enabling it to effectively prey upon unsuspecting fish. This behavior exemplifies a sophisticated form of aggressive mimicry. In the absence of a model species, the mental wrasse typically displays a reddish-pink coloration.
Why it's threatened
There are no major threats known for this species.
Threat classification from the IUCN Red List.
