Actinopterygii (Gigaclass) > Actinopteri (Class) > Teleostei (Subclass) > Labriformes (Order) > Labroidei (Suborder) > Labridae (Family) > Macropharyngodon (Genus)

Labre à pois noirs, Blackspotted wrasse, Eastern leopard wrasse, Guinea fowl wrasse, Leopard wrasse, Reticulated wrasse, Vermiculated wrasse, Nodoguro-bera, ノドグロベラ, 朱斑大咽齒鯛,

Synonymes
Halichoeres nigropunctatus (Seale, 1901)
Julis meleagris (Valenciennes, 1839)
Leptojulis pardalis (Kner, 1867)
Macropharyngodon meliagris (Valenciennes, 1839)
Macropharyngodon pardalis (Kner, 1867)
Platyglossus nigromaculatus (Günther, 1872)
Wetmorella nigropunctata (Seale, 1901)

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Description
Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 11; Vertebrae: 25; Pectoral fin rays: 12; Gill rakers: 15-19; Anterior lateral line scales: 2-4 pores. Depth of body: 2.54-3.05 in SL; Third dorsal spine of adults equal to or slightly shorter than fifth and sixth dorsal spines (second and third dorsal spines of juveniles generally longer than all other spines); Pelvic fins short, not reaching anus. Max. length: 15.0 cm SL. Depth range: 0 - 30 m.

Color
Juvenile (33.5 mm SL) is light green in life with faint orange edges on the scales and black spots on the head and approximately lower two-thirds of body (upper third and caudal peduncle nearly free of spots); Dorsal and anal fins with irregular diagonal bands of orange-red; Posteriorly in each of these fins a large black spot with a double rim of yellow (inner) and red.
Ground color of females is whitish to pale greenish; The bands anteriorly and dorsally on the head are red; The spotfree zone dorsally on the head and back is largely red; The dorsal and anal fins are yellow, the outer row of spots red; The spots on the caudal fin rays are red; The pelvic fins are yellow with three cross-bands of dark red.
Ground color of males is orangered, the spots and bands green. Closer inspection reveals the spots as greenish-yellow with a narrow margin of blue adjacent tothe outer black rim; Black spot on shoulder associated with one to three smaller bright yellow spots; Region above black spot anteriorly in dorsal fin bright red and yellow; A narrow light blue margin on dorsal and anal fins; Pectoral fins pale without a dark bar at base; Pelvic fins whitish, blotched with pink.

Etymology
Macropharyngodon: from Greek, makros = great + from Greek, pharynx = pharynx + from Greek, odous = teeth. Referring to posterior canine teeth on upper jaw.
meleagris: from Greek, meleagris = guinea fowl. Referring to small blue-green spots on body of males, which can be said to resemble the color pattern of a guinea fowl.
Original description: Julis meleagris Valenciennes, 1839 - Type locality: Uléa , Caroline Islands, western Pacific.

Distribution
Southeastern Indian Ocean, western Pacific: Cocos-Keeling and Christmas islands and Indonesia, east to Line and Tuamoto islands, north to Japan and Ogasawara Islands, south to northern Australia, Lord Howe Island New Caledonia, northern New Zealand and Kermadec Islands.

Biology
Inhabits subtidal reef flats and outer lagoon and seaward reefs. Usually in areas with mixed sand, rubble, and coral. Feeds mainly on gastropods, other hard-shelled prey, and foraminiferans. Rarely marketed.

Similar species
Macropharyngodon geoffroy (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824) - Reported from Central Pacific: Johnston Atoll and Hawaiian Islands.
Macropharyngodon ornatus (Randall, 1978) - Reported from Indo-West Pacific: Maldives and Sri Lanka, east to Thailand and Indonesia, south to Rottnest Island (Western Australia). Reddish head, dark brown to black body with green spots aligned in rows along sides, green lines on head and a black spot at front of dorsal fin. Black spot at front of dorsal fin is lacking in Macropharyngodon meleagris which has a small yellow and black mark on upper operculum when most similar as an adult male.
Macropharyngodon pakoko (Delrieu-Trottin, Williams & Planes, 2014) - Reported from Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia.

Last update: 28, August 2024