Cheilio inermis

Cheilio inermis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Labridae
Genus:	Cheilio
Species:	C. inermis
Binomial name
Cheilio inermis (Forsskål, 1775)

Cheilio inermis, commonly called the cigar wrasse is a species of fish belonging to the family Labridae.

It grows to an average length of 35 centimetres (14 in) but can reach up to 50 cm (20 in). It is mainly found in tropical reefs at depths of up to 30 metres (98 ft). Young individuals are usually a mottled brown or green, sometimes with a broad lateral stripe. Rare individuals may be uniformly yellow. Large males may develop a bright yellow, orange, black, white, or multicolored patch on their sides behind their pectoral fins.

They inhabit seagrass beds and algal-covered flats, occasionally in lagoon and seaward reefs to a depth of at least 30 m. They are a mostly solitary species. Their diet includes crustaceans, mollusks, sea urchins and other hard-shelled prey.

Due to their adult size and diet, they are rarely kept in the aquarium.

See also

Fish portal

• List of fish common names

References