ANIMAL SPECIES:Batu Coris, Coris batuensis (Bleeker, 1857)
The Batu Coris occurs in tropical marine waters and can be recognised by its colouration, which varies as the fish grows. It inhabits sandy areas feeding on crabs and gastropods.
Identification
The Batu Coris can be recognised by its colouration, which varies as the fish grows.
Juveniles are olive-green above and white below. They have bright orange spots on the head and belly. There is a dark brown stripe from the mouth to the eye. A series of narrow white bars extend from the dorsal fin onto the top of the body and there are three black ocelli on the front, middle and rear of the dorsal fin.
Female Batu Coris have a grey-greenish body and irregular blackish bars on the back. There are irregular pink bars on the face, a vertical elongate black spot behind the eye and a black bar on the pectoral fin base. They also have three black ocelli on the dorsal fin.
Males are similar to the females, but have a greener body and may lose some of the ocelli in the dorsal fin.
Size range
The species grows to 17 cm in length.Distribution
The Batu Coris occurs in tropical marine waters of the Indo-Pacific, from the Maldives, north to Japan, throughout Micronesia, south to Australia and east to Tonga.
In Australia the Batu Coris is known from the north-western coast of Western Australia and from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland to the northern coast of New South Wales.
Distribution by collection data
Biomaps map of Batu Coris specimens in the Australian Museum collection.
Habitat
The Batu Coris inhabits sandy areas of coral reefs and protected lagoons. This fish is usually found at depths between 1 m and 34 m.
Behaviour and adaptations
Feeding and Diet
It feeds on crabs and gastropods.
Classification
- Species:
- batuensis
- Genus:
- Coris
- Family:
- Labridae
- Order:
- Perciformes
- Class:
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
References
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 220.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2002. Fairy and Rainbow Wrasses and their Relatives. A Comprehensive Guide to Selected Labroids. TMC Publishing. Pp. 208.
- Myers, R.F. 1999. Micronesian Reef Fishes. Coral Graphics. Pp. 222.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 415.
- Randall, J.E., 1999. Revision of the Indo-Pacific labrid fishes of the genus Coris, with descriptions of five new species. Indo-Pacific Fishes (29):74.
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A male Batu Coris at the Great Barrier Reef View full size
Erik Schlögl
© Erik Schlögl
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5 comments
Mark McGrouther
2.06 PM, 29 June 2009
Thanks for your message Joshua. Juvenile wrasses are sometimes quite difficult to identify, especially from photos, because their colouration is often different from the adults. Wrasses often display sexual dimorphism, so not only are the juveniles different from the adults but the males and females often look dissimilar. The joys of fish identification!
peppercorn
11.06 AM, 29 June 2009
What a great way me peppercorn putting it into words mark that you wrote that the juveniles was a great photo shot because of the brightly recognised olive green above on back and white below varied colours thanks bye mark reply back please.
Sascha Schulz
12.06 PM, 27 June 2009
Shelly Beach is a great spot for finding the juveniles of fish species that are more common in tropical waters. The larvae of these species can drift south on the East Australian Current for weeks, covering many hundreds of kilometres. The geomorphology of Shelly Beach means it acts as a larval trap, accounting for the relatively high abundance of tropical juveniles. The vast majority of these "vagrants" do not survive the cold winters.
Mark McGrouther
8.06 AM, 15 June 2009
That's a great shot of the juvenile. Thank you Jonathan.
Jonathan
5.06 PM, 12 June 2009
Juvenile Coris batuensis at Shelly Beach, Manly. Depth 7m.
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