Description: Body relatively thin, short and wide with a large eye and a terminal, small mouth. Pectoral and pelvic fins short. Dorsal and anal-fin bases relatively long, caudal peduncle short and wide. The only melanophores are internal on the dorsal peritoneal lining, usually one or two. Series of transitional larvae show development of the eye from flat and round with a large pupil to somewhat bulbous with a small pupil. Transitional larvae develop narrow bars of tiny melanophores radiating out from the eye as well as a broad iridophore bar from the eye across the lower operculum. Small melanophores develop on the first two dorsal spine membranes and along the pelvic-fin membranes.
Diagnosis: The fin-ray count of D-IX,10 A-III,9 with only 11 or 12 pectoral-fin rays indicates Doratonotus megalepis. Caribbean parrotfishes (family Scaridae) share the median-fin ray count, but have 13-16 pectoral-fin rays. (U)
The dwarf wrasse, Doratonotus megalepis, is a species of wrasse native to tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from Florida, United States, to Brazil and in the eastern Atlantic from around Ile Las Rolas, São Tomé and the Cape Verde Islands.[1] It is found in beds of turtle grass at depths of 1 to 15 m (3.3 to 49.2 ft), where its green coloration allows it to blend in with its surroundings. This species grows to a total length of 9.4 cm (3.7 in). It can be found in the aquarium trade. This species is the only known member of its genus.[2]
The dwarf wrasse, Doratonotus megalepis, is a species of wrasse native to tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from Florida, United States, to Brazil and in the eastern Atlantic from around Ile Las Rolas, São Tomé and the Cape Verde Islands. It is found in beds of turtle grass at depths of 1 to 15 m (3.3 to 49.2 ft), where its green coloration allows it to blend in with its surroundings. This species grows to a total length of 9.4 cm (3.7 in). It can be found in the aquarium trade. This species is the only known member of its genus.
