Ophthalmolepis lineolata

Australian Junker ( Ophthalmolepis lineolata ), male

The Australian Junker ( Ophthalmolepis lineolata, Syn: July lineolatus ) is a wrasse that lives endemic to the coast of the southern half of Australia. Around Tasmania he is missing. The fish lives on rocky reefs that are overgrown by algae and sponges, adult animals often in large numbers offshore reefs at depths up to 60 meters. Juveniles prefer shallower water and keep one, between rocks, in estuaries and harbors on.

Features

The Australian Junker is 40 inches long. His body is elongated and resembles that of the Lippfischgattung Coris. His head, the number of scales, however, duller, less. Along the lateral line organ of the Australian Junker, however, has 52 to 56 scales, Coris species, with the exception of Coris pictoides, 70 to 90 scales.

The long dorsal fin of the Australian Junkers is supported by 9 hard jets and 12 to 13 soft rays, the anal fin has 3 hard and 13 soft rays.

The coloring of the Australian Junker is characterized by a longitudinal pattern. In young animals and females the top of the body is brown, the dorsal fin base bright orange. Along the sidelines, a white longitudinal band from the gill cover pulls up to the caudal fin. The belly is yellowish. On the head is shown with increasing age pattern of fine blue spots. Males have a reddish back, below the white vertical bands on the flanks they have a black one. Her head looks beefy and is gray to greenish.