christmas wrasse????

[deuceb]

i purchased this as a christmas wrasse but i am questioning that. i know there are a few wrasse experts(dave and gina)any opinions would be appreciated dana sorry for bad pic

 

[Kevin McG]

Is that the one from -B- (Unique Aquaria)?

 

[JackTheReefer]

Looks like a Leopard Wrasse to me.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+1378+339&pcatid=339

 

[deuceb]

got from jays

my thought is a ornate leapord wrasse blue zoo has a preety good pic

 

[deuceb]

bump

bump

 

[Joel A]

yeah... it's a leopard.

Maybe they are sometimes called christmas wrasses?

 

[fanaglethebagle]

http://www.marinecenter.com/fish/wrassealsoseehogfish/christmaswrasse/

Hmm, it's a close call.

 

[Joel A]

that one looks more green and red Andrew... but then again, maybe it's the picture quality too.

Maybe it is a xmas, i had never heard of them.

 

[JackTheReefer]

That is a Leopard Wrasse if you look at it's facial markings it's lacking a solid stripe on it's cheek and is missing the black spot on it's dorsal fin, here are a few pics of my Christmas Wrasse for comparrison:

 

[afboundguy]

IMO I def think it's a leapord wrasse and not an xmas wrasse...

 

[fanaglethebagle]

Yeah, I am seeing more of a leopard now.

 

[Gina McReeferson]

Deuceb, yours IMO, looks like an Ornate Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon ornatus), very pretty fish BTW. Ornate means "heavily ornamented" so perhaps any of the "ornate" wrasses could be loosely referred to as a "Christmas" wrasse...

The problem with common names such as "Christmas wrasse" is that there are many fish that look a little different, or even look the same, but are a different fish and can all be called by the same name.

 

[Dave McReeferson]

I agree with Gina here on her ID. But, I think it likely that the name "Christmas Wrasse", would most accurately apply to the non-leopard Ornate Wrasse (Halichoeres ornatissimus) given both the fact that it is "ornate" and the "issimus" part of it's Latin name.

As Gina also mentions, common names can be very tricky and easily become confusing and/or confused, the Latin names, though often cumbersome, are really the only way to go for positively identifying a given fish.

 

[Dave McReeferson]

That is a Leopard Wrasse if you look at it's facial markings it's lacking a solid stripe on it's cheek and is missing the black spot on it's dorsal fin, here are a few pics of my Christmas Wrasse for comparrison:

I think you are right in your overall opinion, but, FWIW, I think the eye spot is a poor reference for IDing, they are generally juvenile markings which will eventually fade away IIRC.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Need a better picture to be sure but it could be a Halichoeres ornatissimus. It is one of those gorgeous fish that are not expensive. Onre of my favorites.

The name Xmas wrasse has been associated with several wrasses over the years and it is not standardized by any means. The HO is from Christmas Island so that is where it most likely gets its name.

 

[Gina McReeferson]

Need a better picture to be sure

This is true, it's pretty tough to try to ID a fish when the pic is not clearly in focus. Perhaps you could try to get a few more shots of it...

My money is on Ornate Leopard Wrasse (Macropharyngodon ornatus), however.

It is one of those gorgeous fish that are not expensive. Onre of my favorites.

One of my favorites as well, the Halichoeres ornatissimus.

 

[Chuck Spyropulos]

Xmas

One of my favorites as well, the Halichoeres ornatissimus.

Yeah, this fish is hardy, pretty, and inexpensive - pretty rare in this hobby.
You are probably right on the ID and a better pic would confirm it.

 

[Cherokee_Dude]

My Christmas is an adult and does not have the dorsal fin "spot" markings.
This looks like a Leopard to me. btw, does it have any "lighter" areas/patches of markings along the dorsal line (Not the dorsal fin)?

 

[Gina McReeferson]

My Christmas is an adult and does not have the dorsal fin "spot" markings.

That would make sense as the "spots" are often a sign of a juvenille, I think David mentioned something along those lines above.

 

[JackTheReefer]

I think you are right in your overall opinion, but, FWIW, I think the eye spot is a poor reference for IDing, they are generally juvenile markings which will eventually fade away IIRC.

My Christmas is an adult and does not have the dorsal fin "spot" markings.
This looks like a Leopard to me. btw, does it have any "lighter" areas/patches of markings along the dorsal line (Not the dorsal fin)?

I don't see how the eye spot is a poor reference in this case? The eye spot is a characteristic of the fish that should be used in proper identification.

Judging by comparrison to the other tank inhabitants and the fact that this fish was just purchased it is pretty clear that fish is not an adult.

FWIW, males of the species loose the spots and females retain them.