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Harlequin Sweetlips
Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides Lacepède, 1800
A Harlequin Sweetlips at a depth of 14m, Cormorant Pass, Great Barrier Reef off Lizard Island, Queensland, December 2001. View larger image.
A Harlequin Sweetlips at a depth of 12m, Raine Island, far northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland, November 2001. View larger image.
A juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips at Madang, Papua New Guinea.
Juvenile Harlequin Sweetlips under 7-8cm in length, are brown with large dark-edged, white spots (see bottom image). They swim with the head pointing down and with exaggerated fin movements resulting in an undulating motion. At this size the Harlequin Sweetlips is believed to be a nudibranch or flatworm mimic.
As juveniles grow, the brown base colour disappears and dark brown spots develop. Adults are white with dark brown spots on the body and fins.
Harlequin Sweetlips grow to 60cm in length.
Juveniles live in lagoons, but adults live in deeper water and are often observed under ledges or in caves.
This species is recorded from tropical marine waters of the Indo-West Pacific.
In Australia it is known from north-western Western Australia and the Great Barrier Reef.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- Allen, G.R. & R. Swainston. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 201.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
