Blackeye Thicklip

Hemigymnus melapterus

Bright front and dark green-black back of body, large adults are predominantly olive-green.
Juvenile phase with different, very high-contrast colouration, dark eyes and yellow tail.

Size : 50 cm

Habitat : Inhabits lagoons and protected outreefs, 1-30 m. Prefers to swim above mixed zones with coral, sand and rubble in search of hard-shelled invertebrates on which it predominantly feeds.

Distribution : East Africa to S Japan, Micronesia and French Polynesia.

Classification

KINGDOM

:

Animalia

PHYLUM

:

Chordata

CLASS

:

Actinopterygii

ORDER

:

Perciformes

FAMILY

:

Labridae

GENUS

:

Hemigymnus

SPECIES

:

Hemigymnus melapterus

Other Information

Population Status

Least Concern (LC)

PHOTO COLLECTION

Reference

  1. inaturalist.org
  2. Reef Fishes of the Indo-Pacific. Book by Matthias Bergbauer and Manuela Kirschner