Clouded Rainbow Fish

Males are identified by the angled or diagonal pink band below the eye. Females have a brighter pink patch of color on the belly compared to the similar H. margaritaceus (Ref. 48636).

Distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).

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

Occurs inshore (Ref. 75154).

Found in groups (Ref. 90102) on reef flats, reef margins, and rocky shores (Ref. 9710). Mainly in inshore weedy areas but has been collected as deep as 40 m (Ref. 9710).

aquarium: commercial

廣泛分布於印度-西太平洋區。台灣除西部外，各地岩礁岩海域皆有分布。

小型之隆頭魚，體色多彩多姿，紋路變化多端，是較適合水族觀賞的魚類。其有斑駁的保護色，亦常會鑽入砂中，所以潛水在美麗而隱密的珊瑚礁海域，並不易看見。可食用，但個體小，較無食用價值。

體延長，側扁。吻較長，尖突。前鼻孔具短管。口小；上頜有犬齒四枚，外側兩枚向後方彎曲。前鰓蓋後緣具鋸齒；鰓蓋膜常與峽部相連。體被中大圓鱗，胸部鱗片小於體側，頰部無鱗；背鰭與臀鰭無鞘鱗；側線完全，在尾柄前方急劇向下降。D. IX, 11；A. III, 11；P. 14；L.l. 25+2；l.tr. 3/9。雌魚體上半部黄褐色，鱗片具紅褐至黑褐色緣，腹部色淡，具大小不一的白斑，腹部後緣具一大的粉紅斑，鰓蓋膜具一黑斑，眼後另具一小黑斑，前方背鰭具一小黑點，背鰭中央具一鑲黃邊的黑斑，胸鰭基無黑點；雄魚橄欖綠色而具紅褐色點，色點偶而相連形成深色橫帶或斑駁，腹部粉紅色斑漸消失，頭部及鰓蓋膜的黑點亦漸消失或縮小，頭部綠色，眼前僅具一紅帶延伸至口角，眼後二條放射狀條紋角度較大，眼下具長彎形紅紋，鰓蓋後下緣至峽部淡粉紅色紋，背鰭淡黄至黄褐色，具不顯之排列不規則的斑點，背鰭中央亦具一黑斑，臀鰭淡褐色，中央具縱列的藍紋。

主要棲息於潮間帶到水深約40公尺的沿岸海域。幼魚喜愛棲息在砂質石底，成魚則偏好在淺水岩礁盤，及海藻叢生的礁湖中巡游。喜愛當個獨行俠，自由自在的活動，找尋底棲性動物。具性轉變的行為，是屬於先雌後雄型的型態。

The nebulous wrasse (Halichoeres nebulosus) is a species of wrasse native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It can be found in groups at depths from 1 to 40 m (3.3 to 131.2 ft) on reef flats. This species feeds on fish eggs and benthic invertebrates, including crabs, sea urchins, ophiuroids, polychaetes, sponges and mollusks. Its coloration varies, ranging from brown to dark green. This species can reach 12 cm (4.7 in) in total length. It can be found in the aquarium trade.

Mainly an inshore solitary species (but has been collected as deep as 40 m.) usually inhabiting coral reefs and algal lagoons (Ref. 5503).