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Black nabeta (Iniistius pavo) — Labridae

Black nabeta

Iniistius pavo
Family: Labridae
LC · Least Concern
NativeIntroduced

The Black nabeta (Iniistius pavo) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 42 cm.

Length
42 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–100.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-West Pacific; sandy bottoms of lagoon and seaward reefs.
Edibility
Rarely eaten

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Description

The peacock razorfish is a wrasse (Labridae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species has a deep, strongly laterally compressed, knife-like body with a steep, sharp head profile; juveniles have a long first dorsal ray and mimic a drifting leaf. It usually lives solitarily on lagoon and seaward reefs with fine to loose, coarse sand, into which it dives lightning-fast when threatened. With its jaw teeth it takes small invertebrates from the bottom. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Black nabeta?

The Black nabeta has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern. Knife-shaped body that buries itself in sand at lightning speed; juveniles mimic a floating leaf.

Where does the Black nabeta live?

The Black nabeta lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Indo-West Pacific; sandy bottoms of lagoon and seaward reefs.

How big does the Black nabeta get?

The Black nabeta grows to a maximum of about 42 cm.

Is the Black nabeta dangerous to humans?

No, the Black nabeta is harmless to humans. None required: this species is harmless to humans.

Is the Black nabeta edible?

The Black nabeta is rarely eaten.

More photos

Black nabeta (Iniistius pavo) — Labridae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) craigjhowe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Black nabeta (Iniistius pavo) — Labridae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Dominick Porcelli, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))

Easily confused with

These species look like the Black nabeta and live in the same waters.

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All data

Identification

English name
Black nabeta verified
Scientific name
Iniistius pavo
Family
Labridae
Other names
Black razorfish; Black-barred razorfish; Blue razorfish; Peacock wrasse; Peacock razorfish; Pavo razorfish; Indianfish; Indianfish blue razorfish; Leaf wrasse; Razor wrasse; Red-belly razor wrasse; Wrasse verified

Appearance

Size class
Large verified
Max length (cm)
42.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey inferred
Pattern
Plain inferred
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal inferred
Lips
Thick / fleshy inferred
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous inferred
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
100.0 verified
Natural range
Indo-West Pacific; sandy bottoms of lagoon and seaward reefs. inferred
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small bottom-dwelling invertebrates sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred
Special features
Knife-shaped body that buries itself in sand at lightning speed; juveniles mimic a floating leaf. sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Rarely eaten sourced
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
None required: this species is harmless to humans. sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Iniistius

More from the family Labridae

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