Labre à Queue De Comète

Body variable from brown to yellow or green mixed with various color shades or spots. Males develop long filaments on the caudal fin (Ref. 48636). Young with a broad, dark lateral stripe which breaks into dark blotches in adults, the largest above distal pectoral fins. A small dark spot behind eye. Mouth terminal or lower jaw slightly projecting. Caudal fin of terminal males rhomboid, with central rays longest, and dorsalmost caudal-fin ray elongated into a short filament. A small species (reaching about 14 cm) (Ref 9823).

Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).

Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 8

Inhabits outer reef slopes or deep clear lagoons among rubble or clumps of algae; also in seagrass beds (Ref. 1602).

Inhabits outer reef slopes or deep clear lagoons among rubble or clumps of algae; also in seagrass beds (Ref. 1602, 41878, 58302). Often in sheltered estuaries and harbors (Ref. 48636). Benthic and benthopelagic (Ref. 58302).

fisheries: subsistence fisheries; aquarium: commercial

分布於印度-太平洋區，由東非到夏威夷及馬貴斯群島，北至日本琉球與台灣海域，南至萬那杜等。台灣除西部外，各地海域皆有分布。

小型之隆頭魚，體色鮮豔，是適合水族觀賞的魚類，非食用經濟魚種。

體長卵圓形；頭部背面凸出。吻中長，突出；口端位，下頜稍突出；上下頜每側前方具一犬齒，每側具一列圓錐齒，無後犬齒。前鰓蓋骨邊緣具距齒，左右鰓膜癒合，不與峽部相逢；體被大形圓鱗；頭部眼上方背面被鱗。D. IX, 10；A. III, 9；P.12；L.l. 14-15；G.R.5-6+7-8；背鰭棘膜具缺刻；幼魚尾鰭圓形，成魚尾鰭楔形，上葉與中央軟條延長；腹鰭短而延長。體色多變，由黃褐色至綠色，並攙雜多色斑紋或斑點；幼魚具一黑色寬縱紋，成魚則斷裂成斑點；眼後具一黑點；頭具不規則橙紅色斑點及短紋，眼周圍則呈輻射狀；奇鰭具橙色網紋；背鰭第I棘膜具一黑褐色斑點。

主要棲息於珊瑚礁或岩礁海域，棲息深度在2-100公尺間，特別喜歡藏身於沿岸海藻繁盛的岩礁區，其多彩的體色為它帶來絕佳的保護作用，而稍突出的吻部，讓它容易翻找藏匿在海藻叢中或岩縫中的貝類、蝦蟹之類的底棲性無脊椎動物。晚上會找個岩礁下的孔洞，側臥在其中睡覺。

Inhabits outer reef slopes or deep clear lagoons among rubble or clumps of algae; also in seagrass beds. Found at depths greater than 15 m and recorded up to 100 m (Ref. 2334).