Halichoeres are a genus of wrasses found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans.Victor, B.C., Alfaro, M.E. & Sorenson, L. (2013): Rediscovery of Sagittalarva inornata n. gen., n. comb. (Gilbert, 1890) (Perciformes: Labridae), a long-lost deepwater fish from the eastern Pacific Ocean: a case study of a forensic approach to taxonomy using DNA barcoding. Zootaxa, 3669 (4): 551–570.
Taxonomy Molecular phylogenetic studies have repeatedly found the genus Halichoeres to be polyphyletic. As a result, this genus requires significant taxonomic revision.
Species
There are currently 88 recognized species in this genus:
Halichoeres adustus (C. H. Gilbert, 1890) (Black wrasse) Halichoeres aestuaricola W. A. Bussing, 1972 (Mangrove wrasse) Halichoeres annularis (Valenciennes, 1839) Halichoeres argus (Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801) (Argus wrasse) Halichoeres bathyphilus (Beebe & Tee-Van, 1932) (Green-band wrasse) Halichoeres bicolor (Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801) (Pearly-spotted wrasse) Halichoeres binotopsis (Bleeker, 1849) (Saowisata wrasse) Halichoeres biocellatus L. P. Schultz, 1960 (Red-lined wrasse) Halichoeres bivittatus (Bloch, 1791) (Slippery dick) Halichoeres bleekeri (Steindachner & Döderlein (de), 1887) Halichoeres brasiliensis (Bloch, 1791) (Brazilian wrasse) Halichoeres brownfieldi (Whitley, 1945) (Brownfield's wrasse) Halichoeres burekae Weaver & L. A. Rocha, 2007 (Mardi Gras wrasse) Halichoeres californicus Günther, 1861 (Señorita) Halichoeres caudalis (Poey, 1860) (Painted wrasse) Halichoeres chierchiae di Caporiacco, 1948 (Wounded wrasse) Halichoeres chlorocephalus Kuiter & J. E. Randall, 1995 (Green-head wrasse) Halichoeres chloropterus (Bloch, 1791) (Pastel-green wrasse) Halichoeres chrysotaenia (Bleeker, 1853) (Indian Ocean pinstriped wrasse) Halichoeres chrysus J. E. Randall, 1981 (Canary wrasse) Halichoeres claudia J. E. Randall & L. A. Rocha, 2009 (Claudia's wrasse) Halichoeres cosmetus J. E. Randall & M. M. Smith, 1982 (Adorned wrasse) Halichoeres cyanocephalus (Bloch, 1791) (Yellow-cheek wrasse) Halichoeres dimidiatus (Agassiz, 1831) Halichoeres discolor W. A. Bussing, 1983 (Cocos wrasse) Halichoeres dispilus (Günther, 1864) (Chameleon wrasse) Halichoeres dussumieri (Valenciennes, 1839) Halichoeres erdmanni J. E. Randall & G. R. Allen, 2010 (Erdmann's wrasse) Halichoeres garnoti (Valenciennes, 1839) (Yellow-head wrasse) Halichoeres gurrobyi Victor, 2016 (Black-saddle wrasse) Halichoeres hartzfeldii (Bleeker, 1852) (Hartzfeld's wrasse) Halichoeres hilomeni J. E. Randall & G. R. Allen, 2010 (Hilomen's wrasse) Halichoeres hortulanus (Lacépède, 1801) (Checker-board wrasse) Halichoeres inornatus (Gilbert, 1890) Halichoeres insularis G. R. Allen & D. R. Robertson, 1992 (Socorro wrasse) Halichoeres iridis J. E. Randall & M. M. Smith, 1982 Halichoeres kallochroma (Bleeker, 1853) (Pink-snout wrasse) Halichoeres kneri Bleeker, 1862 Halichoeres lamarii (Valenciennes, 1839) Halichoeres lapillus J. L. B. Smith, 1947 (Jewelled wrasse) Halichoeres leptotaenia J. E. Randall & Earle, 1994 Halichoeres leucoxanthus J. E. Randall & M. M. Smith, 1982 (Canary-top wrasse) Halichoeres leucurus (Walbaum, 1792) (Grey-head wrasse) Halichoeres maculipinna (J. P. Müller & Troschel, 1848) (Clown wrasse) Halichoeres malpelo G. R. Allen & D. R. Robertson, 1992 (Malpelo wrasse) Halichoeres margaritaceus (Valenciennes, 1839) (Pink-belly wrasse) Halichoeres marginatus Rüppell, 1835 (Dusky wrasse) Halichoeres melanochir Fowler & B. A. Bean, 1928 (Orange-fin wrasse) Halichoeres melanotis (C. H. Gilbert, 1890) (Golden wrasse) Halichoeres melanurus (Bleeker, 1851) (Tail-spot wrasse) Halichoeres melas J. E. Randall & Earle, 1994 Halichoeres melasmapomus J. E. Randall, 1981 (Cheek-spot wrasse) Halichoeres miniatus (Valenciennes, 1839) (Circle-cheek wrasse) Halichoeres nebulosus (Valenciennes, 1839) (Nebulous wrasse) Halichoeres nicholsi (D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1882) (Spinster wrasse) Halichoeres nigrescens (Bloch & J. G. Schneider, 1801) (Bubble-fin wrasse) Halichoeres notospilus (Günther, 1864) (Banded wrasse) Halichoeres orientalis J. E. Randall, 1999 Halichoeres ornatissimus (A. Garrett, 1863) (Ornamented wrasse) Halichoeres pallidus Kuiter & J. E. Randall, 1995 (Pale wrasse) Halichoeres papilionaceus (Valenciennes, 1839) (Weed wrasse) Halichoeres pardaleocephalus (Bleeker, 1849) (Line-blotch wrasse) Halichoeres pelicieri J. E. Randall & M. M. Smith, 1982 Halichoeres penrosei Starks, 1913 Halichoeres pictus (Poey, 1860) (Rainbow wrasse) Halichoeres podostigma (Bleeker, 1854) (Axil-spot wrasse) Halichoeres poeyi (Steindachner, 1867) (Black-ear wrasse) Halichoeres prosopeion (Bleeker, 1853) (Two-tone wrasse) Halichoeres radiatus (Linnaeus, 1758) (Pudding-wife wrasse) Halichoeres richmondi Fowler & B. A. Bean, 1928 (Richmond's wrasse) Halichoeres rubricephalus Kuiter & J. E. Randall, 1995 (Red-head wrasse) Halichoeres rubrovirens L. A. Rocha, Pinheiro & Gasparini, 2010 Halichoeres salmofasciatus G. R. Allen & D. R. Robertson, 2002 (Red-striped wrasse) Halichoeres sanchezi B. C. Victor, B. W. Frable & W. B. Ludt, 2024 (Tailspot wrasse) Halichoeres sazimai O. J. Luiz, C. E. L. Ferreira & L. A. Rocha, 2009 Halichoeres scapularis (E. T. Bennett, 1832) (Zigzag wrasse) Halichoeres semicinctus (Ayres, 1859) (Rock wrasse) Halichoeres signifer J. E. Randall & Earle, 1994 Halichoeres socialis J. E. Randall & Lobel, 2003 Halichoeres solorensis (Bleeker, 1853) (Green wrasse) Halichoeres stigmaticus J. E. Randall & M. M. Smith, 1982 (U-spot wrasse) Halichoeres tenuispinis (Günther, 1862) Halichoeres timorensis (Bleeker, 1852) (Timor wrasse) Halichoeres trimaculatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1834) (Three-spot wrasse) Halichoeres trispilus J. E. Randall & M. M. Smith, 1982 (Triple-spot wrasse) Halichoeres vrolikii (Bleeker, 1855) Halichoeres zeylonicus (E. T. Bennett, 1833) (Gold-stripe wrasse) Halichoeres zulu J. E. Randall & D. R. King, 2010 (KwaZulu-Natal wrasse)
References