WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Pearly Razorfish

Xyrichtys novacula

Also known as: Cleaver Wrasse, Razor Wrasse, Razorfish, Sand Wrasse

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2010
Adult
@ioztelli · Villa, Türkiye · October 20191 / 9
01

Overview

Found singly or in loose schools, hovering over coral rubble and seagrass beds, of clear inshore reefs. When disturbed they will dive into the sand, they can "swim" for long distances through the sand to deter predators. Varies in colour, juveniles have body bars that they lose with age.

Most reef fish seen by divers during the day, are grazers, they cruise around, just above the surface of the coral, or snoop into crevices, foraging for food.
Wrasses have small protruding teeth, which they use to graze the bottom, taking in a variety of algae, crustaceans, such as crabs, eggs, shrimps, snails and worms. Any hard coats or thick shells, are then ground down by their pharyngeal jaws, and the delicacies inside digested.
From juvenile to adult, wrasses dramatically alter their colour and body shapes.
Wrasses are always on the go during the day, but are the first to go to bed and the last to rise.
Small wrasses dive below the sand to sleep, and larger wrasses wedge themselves in crevices.

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How to identify

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

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Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Western Atlantic, Caribbean, Eastern Atlantic, Mediterranean
  • Exact location · 2
  • Country only · 7
LIVES IN

Found singly or in loose schools, hovering over coral rubble and seagrass beds, of clear inshore reefs.

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Adult photos 9

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Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderEupercaria incertae sedis
    5. familyLabridae
    6. genusXyrichtys
    7. speciesXyrichtys novacula (Linnaeus, 1758)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Wrasses (Labridae)