Hologymnosus

H. annulatus or H. doliatus, males

Hologymnosus is a genus of Junkerlippfische ( Julidinae ). There are four types, two of which ( H. annulatus, H. doliatus ) are widely distributed in the tropical areas of the Indo-Pacific. The other two are restricted to the western Pacific.

Features

Hologymnosus species are 32 to 40 inches long. They have an elongated pike- like body. Compared with Coris species they have a lot more dandruff. There is a great difference in the color of juveniles and of adult animals. H. longipes, H. rhodonotus and the boys of H. doliatus are bright, whitish-yellow in color and have the tip of the snout to the tail fin root longitudinal red stripes. Adult H. annulatus and H. doliatus males are predominantly green and blue, the females gray or blackish. To attract many vertical lines through its pages. The males of both species show during courtship on the flanks of a white, wide, vertical band.

The long dorsal fin is supported by 9 hard jets and 12 soft rays, the anal fin has 3 hard and 12 soft rays.

Way of life

Hologymnosus species usually stay near reefs over sand and rubble bottoms on, the females often in small groups, while the males are territorial and defend a territory against other males. The fish mainly feed on smaller fish and crustaceans, and often accompany foraging mullet or snapper. Young fish are often seen far out of their range in the subtropics, suggesting a very long, pelagic larval stage. They are quite large after metamorphosis with 24 millimeters.

Species

• Striped Hechtlippfisch ( Hologymnosus annulatus ) ( Lacépède, 1801)
• White-bellied Hechtlippfisch ( Hologymnosus doliatus ) ( Lacépède, 1801)
• Slim Hechtlippfisch ( Hologymnosus longipes ) ( Günther, 1862)
• Red Hechtlippfisch ( Hologymnosus rhodonotus ) ( Randall & Yamakawa, 1988)