Blackspotted Wrasse
Macropharyngodon meleagris
- Usual depth5–23 m
- Water temperature25–29 °C
- Best monthsApril and May
- How commonCommon
About this species
Macropharyngodon meleagris, the black-spotted wrasse, Eastern leopard wrasse or reticulated wrasse, is a species of ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. This species is native to the eastern Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. It lives on coral reefs at depths of from the surface to 30 metres (98 ft). This species can reach a length of 15 centimetres (5.9 in) SL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. Juveniles display different color patterns than adults with dominating light colors and eyespots blending in with soft coral habitats and potentially avoiding predation.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Macropharyngodon meleagris”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article
Where and when
Where it has been recorded
Worldwide
Loading the map
Best months
Worldwide (open data)
- January: 15 records
- February: 330 records
- March: 468 records
- April: 1,134 records
- May: 815 records
- June: 499 records
- July: 278 records
- August: 226 records
- September: 203 records
- October: 154 records
- November: 19 records
- December: 16 records
Depth and water temperature
Depth
Mostly recorded at 5–23 m · Deepest record: 60 m
Water temperature
Recorded in surface water of 25–29 °C
Names and classification
- English
- Blackspotted Wrasse, Eastern Leopard Wrasse, guineafowl wrasse, Guinea Fowl Wrasse, Leopard Wrasse, Leopard Wrasse, Blackspotted wrasse, Reticulated Wrasse
Names in 6 more languages
- German
- Leoparden-Junker
- Spanish
- Lábrido Leopardo
- Filipino
- Bankilan, Bungat, Isdang bato, Maming
- French
- Labre léopard
- Japanese
- Nodoguro-bera, Nodogurobera, ノドグロベラ
- Simplified Chinese
- 娘仔魚, 朱斑大咽鸚鯛, 珠斑大咽齒魚, 珠斑大咽齒鯛, 珠斑大咽齿鱼, 珠鸚鯛, 真珠大咽齒魚, 石斑龍, 網紋曲齒鸚鯛
Other scientific names: Halichoeres nigropunctatus, Julis meleagris, Leptojulis pardalis, Macropharyngodon meliagris, Macropharyngodon pardalis, Platyglossus nigromaculatus, Wetmorella nigropunctata
Similar species
Black Leopard-wrasseMacropharyngodon negrosensis
Blue GroperAchoerodus gouldii
Blue GroperAchoerodus viridis
Tripletail wrasseCheilinus trilobatus
Blunt-head ParrotfishChlorurus microrhinos
bullethead parrotfishChlorurus sordidus
Sources and credits
Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).
- Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
- Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
- Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
- 5,373 open-data records from 1902 to 2023.
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