Cook Islands Biodiversity Database

Species Page

Back to: «« Search Page | « Results Page

Add to My List

Labropsis polynesica

Polynesian Wrasse

Multimedia & Additional Resources

Sorry, there are no multimedia or other resources available for this species yet.

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Polynesian Wrasse

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Southeast Polynesia (Cooks - Tuamotu)

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native, Endemic of e.Polynesia; Marine, near-shore, outer reef-slope, 15-40m.

KEY FEATURES: Slender fish to 10cm SL, depth 3.5 in SL. Protruding canine teeth, including 2 equal pairs on upper jaw.. LARGE FEMALES AND TP MALES: Dorsal fin long and even, translucent with black edge; tail round in females and concave in males. Head dark brown; body pale brown with many narrow dark brown stripes. SMALL FEMALES brown with pale spot on each scale.

Enlarged Image of 'Labropsis polynesica'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

Southern Group: Present Makatea:
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
P

Northern Group:
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW

Key to Symbols

blank	no data
-	absent	L	localised
X	extinct 'naturally'	W	widespread
XQi	quarantine intercepted	R	recent
XQe	eradicated	?	query preceding category
P	present	T?	taxonomic query
S	seasonal	nn	present, said to have no name
O	occasional	?1	present, name not investigated
++++	very common	?2	presence not verified, no name recorded
+++	common	N/A	absent, name not expected
++	uncommon
+	rare
Cook Islands islands: RR =Rarotonga, MG = Mangaia, AT =‘Ātiu, MK=Ma‘uke, MT=Miti‘āro, AK=Aitutaki, PL=Palmerston, PN=Penrhyn, MN=Manuae, TK=Takūtea, TN=Tongareva (TS=Tongaleva Spoken, TW=Tongareva Written, they say "el" but write "r"), MH=Manihiki, RK=Rakahanga, PK=Pukapuka, NS=Nassau, SW=Suwarrow. After a Polynesian name: ^=orthography query. Countries and other: FIJ=Fiji, WT=Wallis & Futuna, SAM=Samoa, TON=Tonga, NIU=Niue, CK=Cook Islands, CKM=Cook Islands Māori, FP=French Polynesia, AUS=Australs, SOC=Societies, TAH=Tahiti, TUA=Tuamotus, MQS=Marquesas, MNG=Mangareva, PIT=Pitcain group, EAS=Easter Island, HAW=Hawai‘i, NZ=New Zealand, NZM=New Zealand Māori

Scientific Taxonomy

Labropsis polynesica Randall, 1981
TAXONOMY: ANIMALIA; CHORDATA; GNATHOSTOMATA (Jawed Vertebrates); PISCES; OSTEICHTHYES; Perciformes; Labroidei; LABRIDAE, Labrichthyini

More Information

GENERAL NOTE: Scan illustration from Randall paper in file.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Cooks: Randall, 1981. Revision of the labrid fish genus Labropsis .... (Micronesica 17(1-2) p134-138. Rarotonga: BM(NH) 1980.7.23.2; 83mm SL, 37m depth, 300 east of Avaavaroa Passage. Randall, 3/1971.

References:
Special Reference: Randall, J.E. 1981. Revision of the labrid fish genus $Labropsis@ with description of five new species. Micronesica 17(1-2):125-155, p134-138.

Data Update History (information):
zB02, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org.
Please refer to our use policy.

Biodiversity Database: More Options | Help

My List: View List | Edit List | Clear List