African wrasse
(Coris cuvieri)
General data
Coris cuvieri, the African wrasse, African coris or false clowwrasse, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the wrasse family Labridae which is found in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea. It is sometimes found in the aquarium trade.
Description
Coris cuvieri grows to a maximum length of 38 centimetres (15 in) which is slightly longer than the related Coris gaimard. It has a dullish orange-brownish background colour with green markings which become more obvious as the fish matures. Adult males have yellow and blue markings on their heads face and also have a greenish-white vertical stripe in the middle of the body, the stripe being absent in the females. There is a green spot on each body scale which contrasts with the dark reddish body. The juveniles, are similar to those of C. gaimard are bright orange-red in colour with 5 white patches with black edges along the back starting at the snout and ending on the caudal peduncle but as the juveniles grow older the differences become apparent.
Distribution
Coris cuvieri is found in the Indian Ocean and the Red Sea, from the southern Arabian Peninsula along the east African coast to South Africa at 30°S and east as far as Sumatra and Bali.
