Ident Help Please ...

[darb]

These are very poor photos, but it was the best that I could do/get in the store ...

Anyways, the store tried to tell me that this was a Checkerboard Wrasse, I am not at all sold on the idea.

Personally because of body shape and behaviour I am thinking that it is the Wetmorella genius, but colouration doesn't really work with any of nigropinnata, tanakai or albofasciata species although it may just be off colour due to shipping and environment.

Any thoughts?

[fishoholic]

Doesn't look like a checkerboard wrasse to me (but the pic's are hard to tell what it is) here's a pic of the one I had

[darb]

yah, I will eat my shorts if that is a checkerboard; the body shape is completely different, short and stout as opposed to thin and elongated for the checkerboard.

the body shape fits this genus, and possibly species:

[fishoholic]

I was thinking its shape was similar to a possum wrasse but the colour is wrong. I'm pretty sure I've seen wrasses similar to your pic but for the life of me I can't quite place it. I keep thinking its along the lines of a juvi maori wrasse but I'm not sure. Did he look like this?



Slender maori wrasse - Cheilinus-orientalis

or this: Speckled Maori Wrasse Cheilinus arenatus

[fishoholic]

or maybe a juvi sea grease wrasse?

[darb]

The body shape would be more along the lines of the Speckled Maori Wrasse Cheilinus arenatus; but I would say that it is shorter and stalkier than the other two.

Not a critical matter, I was mostly just curious because I was looking for a Wetmorrella species; but went and ordered a W. albofasciata elsewhere on the weekend.