Zebra Wrasse

Pseudocoris heteroptera, like the other species in the genus, is similar to the wrasses in the genus Coris but instead of being predators of benthic invertebrates these wrasses feed on zooplankton and show some adaptations for that mode of feeding. These include a smaller mouth, a shorter snout and having the eyes situated lower on the head. The males of this species are strikingly coloured deep turquoise with a wide black irregular stripe behind the eye, alternating light and dark bands on the body towards the caudal fin which has dark outer rays causing the tail to appear deeply forked. The anal fin is yellow with a thick black margin, whereas in the Indian Ocean taxon Pseudocoris occidentalis it is just yellow. The females are greenish to bluish-grey in colour and have a black spot above the base of the pectoral fin. The juveniles are mainly white in colour but are marked with a black stripe along their back and a wide black stripe along the flanks. They can quickly change colour as they move from swimming near the seabed into open water to feed when the striped pattern of the female fades to a plain grey rendering the fish difficult to discern. The variable banding of the males also changes and may be linked to their moods. The maximum recorded total length for this species is 20 centimetres (7.9 in) but a more normal standard length is 15 centimetres (5.9 in). …

Pseudocoris heteroptera is found in the Pacific Ocean. It is distributed from the Line Islands west to Indonesia, north as far as Taiwan and southern Japan, and in the south its distribution extends to the Great Barrier Reef.