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CAAB: 37384106

Species Gomphosus varius Lacépède, 1801

Birdnose Wrasse, Bird Wrasse, Bird-nose Wrasse, Clubnosed Wrasse, Pacific Bird Wrasse

 

Introduction

The precise distribution of this species is unclear. Randall & Parenti (2000) and Allen & Erdmann (2012) record the species from the easter Indian Ocean (Western Australia) to the central Pacific, with the related Gomphorus caeruleus found from the Indian Ocean. Hobbs et al (2014) record the species from both Cocos (Keeling) Islands and Christmas Island. Kuiter (2010) recorded G. varius as extending to Christmas Island. Tentatively we regard the species as extending to Christmas, but probably not Cocos (Keeling) Islands.

 

Distribution

States

New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia


Extra Distribution Information

Rottnest Island (32°00'S 115°33'E) to Rob Roy Reef (14°25'S, 124°52'E), WA, also Rowley Shoals (17°20'S 119°21'E) and Scott Reef (14°03'S, 121°53'E), WA, Ashmore Reef, Timor Sea (12°15'S, 123°02'E), Christmas Island, Indian Ocean, and Boot Reef, QLD (9°59'S, 144°42'E) to the Solitary Islands, NSW (30°12'S, 153°16'E), Osprey Reef and Holmes Reef, Coral Sea, with juveniles as far south as Bermagui (36°26'S), also Coral Sea reefs and islands, and Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands; tropical, East-Indo-west-central Pacific.


IBRA and IMCRA regions (map not available)

IMCRA

Lord Howe Province (14), Central Eastern Transition (15), Northeast Province (18), Northeast Transition (19), Timor Province (2), Cape Province (20), Norfolk Island Province (21), Christmas Island Province (23), Northwest Shelf Transition (26), Northwest Shelf Province (27), Central Western Shelf Transition (28), Central Western Shelf Province (29), Northwest Transition (3), Southwest Shelf Transition (30), Southwest Shelf Province (31), Central Eastern Shelf Province (38), Central Eastern Shelf Transition (39), Northeast Shelf Province (40), Northeast Shelf Transition (41)

Other Regions

Coral Sea Islands Territory, Territory of Ashmore & Cartier Islands, Torres Strait Islands terrestrial, marine & freshwater

Distribution References

Ecological Descriptors

Coral reef, inshore.

Extra Ecological Information

1-35 m

 

General References

Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Perth : Western Australian Museum 292 pp. 106 pls. [188]

Allen, G.R., N.J. Cross, C.J. Allen & M.F. Gomon 2006. Labridae: Labrinae. pp. 1368-1418 in Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & Allen, G.R. Fishes. In, Beesley, P.L. & Wells, A. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Vol. 35. Volume 35 Australia : ABRS & CSIRO Publishing Parts 1-3, 2178 pp. [1389]

Allen, G.R., Steene, R.C. & Orchard, M. 2007. Fishes of Christmas Island. Christmas Island : Christmas Island Natural History Association 2 edn, 284 pp. [170]

Allen, G.R. & Erdmann, M.V. 2012. Reef fishes of the East Indies. Perth : Tropical Reef Research 3 vols, 1260 pp. [667]

Allen, G.R. & Swainston, R. 1988. The Marine Fishes of North-Western Australia. A field guide for anglers and divers. Perth, WA : Western Australian Museum vi 201 pp., 70 pls. [116]

Hutchins, J.B. 2001. Checklist of the fishes of Western Australia. Records of the Western Australian Museum, Supplement 63: 9-50 [39]

Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. A comprehensive reference for divers and fishermen. Sydney, NSW, Australia : New Holland Publishers xvii, 434 pp. [300]

Kuiter, R.H. 2010. Labridae fishes: wrasses. Seaford, Victoria, Australia : Aquatic Photographics pp. 398. [208]

Parenti, P. & Randall, J.E. 2000. An annotated checklist of the species of the labroid fish families Labridae and Scaridae. Ichthyological Bulletin of the J.L.B. Smith Institute, Grahamstown 68: 1-97 [18]

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 507 pp. figs. [316]

Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & Steene, R. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Bathurst : Crawford House Press 557 pp. figs. [316]

Randall, J.E. & Allen, G.R. 2004. Gomphosus varius x Thalassoma lunare, a hybrid labrid fish from Australia. Aqua, International Journal of Ichthyology [formerly Aqua, Journal of Ichthyology and Aquatic Biology] 8(3): 135-139

Westneat, M.W. 2001. Labridae. pp. 3381-3467 in Carpenter, K.E. & Niem, T.H. (eds). The Living Marine Resources of the Western Central Pacific. FAO Species Identification Guide for Fisheries Purposes. Rome : FAO Vol. 6 pp. 3381-4218. [3432]

Whitley, G.P. 1964. A survey of Australian Ichthyology. Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales 89(1): 11-127 [51] (1706)

 

History of changes

Note that this list may be incomplete for dates prior to September 2013.
Published As part of group Action Date Action Type Compiler(s)
27-Jul-2017 LABROIDEI 28-Jun-2017 MODIFIED Dr Dianne Bray (NMV) Dr Doug Hoese (AM) Dr Matthew Lockett (AM)
27-Jul-2010 MODIFIED