Biology

Adults inhabit rocky or coral areas (Ref. 9311). Sometimes also found on sandy bottoms and where marine plants abound (Ref. 9311). Solitary or forms aggregations of only a few individuals. Feed on crabs, brittle stars, mollusks, and sea urchins (Ref. 9311). At night, they agglomerate in cracks and crevices of rocks and caves to sleep (Ref. 9311). Marketed fresh (Ref. 9311). Starts life as a female, later becoming a functional male. Males defend temporary reproductive territories called leks. Sex change may be due to local social conditions, but it may also have a genetic component, since the reversal occurs over a limited size range (Ref. 28023). Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).