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Butcher's dick (Suezichthys aylingi) — Labridae

Butcher's dick

Suezichthys aylingi
Family: Labridae
NE · Not Evaluated

The Butcher's dick (Suezichthys aylingi) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 12 cm.

Length
11.7 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
6.0–100.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Southwest Pacific
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

Ayling's wrasse is a small, slender wrasse from the southwest Pacific, around New Zealand and southeastern Australia. The species grows to about 12 cm and has an oblong, reddish to pink body with fine stripes. As a reef-dweller it searches over sand and rubble bottoms for small crustaceans and worms and buries itself in the sand when threatened. Like many wrasses it is a protogynous hermaphrodite. The fish is harmless to humans. The IUCN has not evaluated the species.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Butcher's dick?

The Butcher's dick has an elongate, eel-like body, is mainly red-orange and shows a horizontal stripes pattern. Reddish slender body; buries itself in the sand; protogynous hermaphrodite

Where does the Butcher's dick live?

The Butcher's dick lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Southwest Pacific

How big does the Butcher's dick get?

The Butcher's dick grows to a maximum of about 12 cm.

Is the Butcher's dick dangerous to humans?

No, the Butcher's dick is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Butcher's dick edible?

The Butcher's dick is not usually eaten.

More photos

Butcher's dick (Suezichthys aylingi) — Labridae — 2
B. Hutchins, Western Australian Museum (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF
Butcher's dick (Suezichthys aylingi) — Labridae — 3
A. Green (CC BY-NC 4.0) via GBIF
Butcher's dick (Suezichthys aylingi) — Labridae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Malcolm Francis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Butcher's dick (Suezichthys aylingi) — Labridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Malcolm Francis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
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All data

Identification

English name
Butcher's dick verified
Scientific name
Suezichthys aylingi
Family
Labridae
Other names
Crimson cleaner fish; Crimson cleaner wrasse; Crimson rainbow wrasse; Crimson wrasse; Maori Wrasse verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
11.7 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Red / orange inferred
Pattern
Horizontal stripes sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
6.0 verified
Max depth (m)
100.0 verified
Natural range
Southwest Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small crustaceans and worms inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Sand-diving reef wrasse; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Reddish slender body; buries itself in the sand; protogynous hermaphrodite sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Not a target species for angling; at most an incidental catch or usable as baitfish. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

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

Same genus Suezichthys

Bluethroat rainbow wrasse (Suezichthys cyanolaemus) — Labridae
Bluethroat rainbow wrasse
Suezichthys cyanolaemus
Labridae
 Spinster wrasse (Suezichthys devisi) — Labridae
Spinster wrasse (Suezichthys devisi)
Labridae
 Painted rainbow wrasse (Suezichthys arquatus) — Labridae
Painted rainbow wrasse
Suezichthys arquatus
Labridae
 Slender wrasse (Suezichthys gracilis) — Labridae
Slender wrasse
Suezichthys gracilis
Labridae
 Soela wrasse (Suezichthys soelae) — Labridae
Soela wrasse
Suezichthys soelae
Labridae
 Spotted slender wrasse (Suezichthys notatus) — Labridae
Spotted slender wrasse
Suezichthys notatus
Labridae

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Fin

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