Page 199 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

CLEANER WRASSE 199

Key Facts ORDER Perciformes / FAMILY Labridae /
GENUS & SPECIES Labroides species

Weight Less than 5g (0.2oz), but varies
with species
Length 5–10 cm (2–3.9 in), but varies
with species
Sexual maturity Varies with species
Spawning season June–September but varies with species
Number of eggs Thousands

Incubation period Not recorded
Breeding interval Yearly
Typical diet Parasites of other fish

Lifespan 3–10 years in the wild

Mouth
A small but flexible mouth
enables the wrasse to grip
parasites and pull them free
from the host’s body.

(c) 2011 Marshall Cavendish. All Rights Reserved.