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| Related FAQs: Maori Wrasses, Wrasses, Wrasse
Selection, Wrasse Behavior, Wrasse Compatibility, Wrasse
Feeding, Wrasse Diseases,
Related Articles: The Diversity of Wrasses,
Family Labridae, Cook
Islands Wrasses,
/The Best
Livestock for Your Marine Aquarium
Maori/Splendour
Wrasses, the Genera Oxycheilinus & (to): Cheilinus |
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By Bob Fenner |
Oxycheilinus bimaculatus
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Genus Oxycheilinus: More Maori/Splendour Wrasses, Six
valid species
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Oxycheilinus arenatus (Valenciennes 1840), the
Speckled Maori Wrasse. Indo-Pacific including the Red Sea. To nearly eight
inches in length.
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No pic |
Oxycheilinus bimaculatus (Valenciennes
1840), the Twinspot Wrasse (2) is right about the right
size at 6 inches maximum, but this shy beauty really takes a beating in the process of
collection, holding and shipping from the wild. Indo-Pacific out to the Hawaiian
Islands. Formerly placed in the genus Cheilinus. At right, a male
and female in Hawai'i. Below: a juvenile,
intermediate and adult in N. Sulawesi pictured.
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Oxycheilinus celebicus (Bleeker 1853), the Celebes or Slender Splendour Wrasse (2) also
grows to about nine inches and perishes for the same "induced" reasons as the
Twinspot. West-central Pacific. These two and four inch specimens in Pulau Redang,
Malaysia.
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| Oxycheilinus digrammus (Lacepede 1801), the Cheeklined Wrasse (2) is probably the most
commonly offered member of the genus. Initially healthy specimens do well, but most are
received from the wild in poor condition. Indo-Pacific, including the Red Sea,
out to Samoa. To sixteen inches in length in the wild. Here are some images
taken in (the first at right of a tiny one inch or so specimen in Pulau Redang,
Malaysia, adults below in the Maldives, the other two in the Red Sea to illustrate
how varying this species appears. |
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Oxycheilinus orientalis (Gunther 1862), the Oriental
Maori Wrasse. Western Pacific. To six inches in length. Replaced by Cheilinus
mentalis in the Indian Ocean.
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No pic |
| Oxycheilinus unifasciatus (Streets 1877), the Ring
Tail or One-Banded Wrasse (2) is the widest ranging
member of the genus. Found across the Pacific’s Oceania through the Indian Ocean and
Red Sea, and growing only to about a foot, it still does poorly in captivity.
Formerly placed in the genus Cheilinus. At right a subadult and adult
color phase individual in Hawai'i, Below juveniles in Hawaii and a bit older
one in Roratonga in the Cooks. |
 
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Close:
"Other" Splendour Wrasses: Keep your eyes peeled for the occasional
"odd", otherwise misidentified Cheilinus and Oxycheilinus species at
your dealers, that stay small enough for home aquarium use. And, beware of the
giant ones.
Bibliography/Further Reading:
Stratton, Richard F. 1996. The broomtail wrasse. TFH 7/96.
Stratton, Richard F. 1997. The Twinspot Maori wrasse. TFH 7/97.
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