This species is diurnally active (Pawlik et al. 1988), and inhabits coral, coastal, rocky and sheltered reefs at depths ranging from one to 30 m (Allen 2000, Westneat 2001). In Hong Kong, it was found in areas of corals, boulders and bedrock along sheltered and highly exposed shores. It was observed singly or in groups (Sadovy and Cornish 2000).

It feeds primarily upon small benthic invertebrates and fish eggs (Pawlik et al. 1988, Westneat 2001, Ackerman 2004), Randall et al. (1990) also noted that it occasionally consumes fishes. Juveniles are more abundant in coral areas where they remain close to the substrate, especially branching Acropora corals (Sadovy and Cornish 2000).

No enlarged tooth can be found at rear of upper jaw, lateral line bends down below posterior portion of dorsal fin base with 25 pored scales (Westneat 2001). Small fish differs in colour from adults and possess a truncate caudal fin, whilst adults have a distinct lunate caudal fin (Sadovy and Cornish 2000). Adults are bright green to blue with a vertical red band on each scale and most horizontal, red or purple lines on head, while small individuals are olive green on upper part of the body and blue-white ventrally (Westneat 2001).

It is reported to be a protogynous hermaphrodite (Robertson and Choat 1974, Ackerman 2004), where individuals change sex from females to males. Males were significantly larger and older than females of the same age. Male growth trajectory appears to continue increasing in size with increasing age, however, the increase in size with age for the females is markedly reduced in comparison. From age of three to five years the increase in size for mature females is relatively small. In the Great Barrier Reef, this species exhibited sex change at age of approximately three years and size of approximately 12 cm SL. Females were found to be mature at the age of one year and size of sevem cm SL, and few mature females were found to be remaining in the population beyond four years of age. The maximum longevity was 12 years (Warner et al. 1975).

Cleaning behaviour was reported for this species (Okata 1994).

A general pattern of increasing longevity with increasing latitude was demonstrated in both the Indian Ocean and Pacific basins. In addition, it was found that reef exposure appeared to play a significantly role in shaping the life history parameters. Populations inhabiting in sheltered regions exhibited slow initial growth rates compared with those populations in exposed regions. However, the impact of reef exposure on the life histories is unpredictable (Ackerman 2004).

This species is not permanently territorial, it sets up temporary territories during spawning season. Pair spawning, involving a single male and female, or aggregate spawning in which one female and a group of males have been observed (Robertson and Choat 1974). In the Great Barrier Reef, spawning aggregations were observed in July and ripe gonads were found in August. Spawning events occur throughout the year at Palm Group Islands, Great Barrier Reef (Ackerman 2004). It uses the exposed habitats as spawning sites and spawn upon a strong current tidal effect, yet resides in more sheltered conditions (Robertson and Choat 1974). It was found that this species may move up to 500 m along a contiguous reef during periods of strong tidal movement for spawning purposes (Ackerman 2004).

Duration of planktonic larval stage was found to be 55 days in One Tree Lagoon, Great Barrier Reef (Brothers et al. 1983) and 46.8 +/- 6.3 days in Palau, Western Pacific (Victor 1986). The maximum recorded size of this species is 25-28 cm TL (Randall et al. 1990).

At One Tree Lagoon, the Great Barrier Reef, overall mortality during the first year was 29% and average annual mortality 4.9% +/- 1.2 %, it did not show any significant relationship between mortality rates and population of the species (Warner et al. 1975, Eckert 1987).

Thalassoma lunare x T. quinquevittatum and Gomphosus species x T. lunare hybrids were observed in the wild (Allen 2006).

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Red List Category

Red List Criteria

Year Assessed

Assessor/s

Reviewer/s

Contributor/s

This species is common in reefs distributed throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific (Randall 1983).

In Australia, it was found to be one of the top fifth most abundant labrids (Fulton et al. 2001). It is found in large abundances along both the west and east coasts of Australia to as far south as Rottnest (32 °S) and Montague Islands (36 °S), respectively (Ackerman 2004). It is also one of the most common fish species in the Great Barrier Reef (Sale and Steel 1989), population abundant in the Lizard Island (Grutter 1995, Stewart and Beukers 2000), with a density of 13 individuals per 150 m² (Green 1996) and listed as the top ten most abundant fish species in One tree island (Caley 1995), density of 14 individuals per 200 m² (Ackerman 2004), the Great Barrier Reef. It is found throughout both inshore, mid-shelf and outer shelf reefs on the Great Barrier Reef, temperate rocky reef systems and exposed, sheltered and lagoon areas (Ackerman 2004). In addition, schooling has been reported in the Dampier Archipelago, Western Australia (Hutchins 2003), density of 30 and 25 individuals per site were found at Palm Islands and Whitsunday Islands, Queensland respectively (Graham et al. 2003). In 2004, Ackerman found this species in the Solomon Islands (15 individuals per 200 m²) exhibiting greater density estimates than both Lizard Island and Port Stephens. Whilst at the Outer Reef regions, off Lizard Island and One Tree Island, potentially had the least number of individuals. However, it is worth noting that new recruits were released for other experimental study in Lizard Island (Beukers 1996) and so might cause bias to the density estimation in the underwater visual census surveys.

In Kimbe Bay of Papua New Guinea, it was found to be one of the top seventh most abundant species with a total abundance of 6,816 individuals and a mean density of 3.28 individuals per 100 m² (Srinivasan and Jones 2006).

On coral reefs of the Adang-ra Wi Islands, The Adaman Sea, mean density was 27 fish per 100 m² (Satapoominl undated).

In Fiji, a total of 353 individuals were observed in various UVC surveys with body sizes of 5-20 cm TL (M. Kulbicki pers. comm. 2008).

In New Caledonia, this species is the most common fish species, a total of 10,657 individuals were observed in various UVC surveys with body sizes of 3-28 cm TL. In a total of 45 stations, 221 individuals were caught with total body weight of 1.7 kg (M. Kulbicki pers. comm. 2008).

In French Polynesia, a total of 23 individuals were observed in various UVC surveys with body sizes of 100-200 mm TL (M. Kulbicki pers. comm. 2008).

In Tonga, a total of 184 individuals were observed in various UVC surveys with body sizes of 5-20 cm TL (M. Kulbicki pers. comm. 2008).

In the Indian Ocean, it is the most abundant fish species in the Reunion Islands (Letourneur 1996). However, the most southern and northern regions (Abrolhos Island with seven individuals per 200 m²) exhibited the lowest estimates of density, whilst Ningaloo North exhibited a relatively higher estimates with 11 individuals per 200 m².

Approximately 27 individuals per 100 m² have been observed in the Okinawan coral reef (Nanami et al. 2005). A mean density of seven individuals per 250 m² was found in Eritrean coastal waters, Red Sea (Daw et al. 2001).

It was found to be common in the Hong Kong waters (Sadovy and Cornish 2000).

On the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, an estimated mean density of 15.5 individuals from twenty 50 m X 5 m transects was recorded in underwater fish visual surveys (Yusuf et al. 2002).

In Langkawi Island, Malaysia an estimated mean density of 3.67 individuals from three 100 m X 2 m transects was recorded in underwater fish visual surveys (Lee et al. 2005).

In Pangkor Island, Malaysia an estimated mean density of 0.67 individuals from three 100 m X 2 m transects was recorded in underwater fish visual surveys (Y. Yusuf unpublished data).

Stable

There are no major threats known for this species, although it is taken by fish traps, hook and line and monofilament traps and sold for food and is also collected for the aquarium trade.

There are no specific conservation measures in place for this species. Its distribution overlaps several marine protected areas within its range.

It is found in the Bai Tu Long National Park (Viet Nam) (Quan 2006), the Great Barrier Reef (Queensland Australia) (Sweatman 2008),Solomon Island (Weiant and Aswani 2006), Hoi Ha Wan, Tung Ping Chau and Yan Chau Tong Marine Parks (Hong Kong) (Cornish 2000). It is also observed in the Cape d’ Aguilar Marine Reserve (Hong Kong) and the Watamu Marine Park (Kenya) which has eliminated fishing for more than 10 years (AFCD 2008) and 20 years (McClanahan et al. 2002), respectively. Spawning aggregation was observed outside the Great Barrier Reef marine park (Russell 2001) and elsewhere have been observed and reported.

Furthermore, the Government of Australia is currently revising the proposal of establishing a 400,000 square mile Coral Sea Heritage Park, where fishing would be banned, in the Great Barrier Reef (Underwater Times 2008).

While many marine parks/reserves have been introduced within the geographic distribution range of this species, in places like Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and Philippines (Tun et al. 2004), most of these marine protected areas (MPAs) are considered to be poorly managed or legislation is poorly enforced due to the lack of expertise, resource and effective co-ordination. For instance, some of the fish sanctuaries in the Philippines are only managed and enforced by the resort management (Tubod fish sanctuary) or local communities (White et al. 2002). As the efficacy of any legislation depends entirely upon its enforcement (Claydon 2004), the majority of these MPAs might not be able to provide sufficient protection (Licuanan and Gomez 2000, Chou et al. 2002).