Terelabrus, which one?

[RDtrack]

Just picked this little guy up. At the store they had it as a terelabrus. I don't think is a rubrovittatus the red bands are to narrow and the coloring is extermely sharp if that makes sense. In additon the tail fin is more arrow shape.

Thanks for the help.

[hybrid]

from the pictures online it looks like a rubrovittatus

[RDtrack]

I would agree however the rubrovittatus red banding appears to be larger than the yellow band. On my fish the yellow band is larger than the red band.

In scott michaels book he talks about the rubrovittatus from maldives having more slender red lines and a short snout.

My only problem is the snout on my fish doesn't appear to be short. It appears longer.

Could it be a candy cane terelabrus?

Also does anyone else have any information on these neat little hogfish?

[hybrid]

if you do a google search on terelabrus & go on to images you will find a lot of images on the images they have it labeled as a terelabrus sp

[RDtrack]

So I've done some more research on my awesome little fish and just wanted to share it.

Orginally I questioned if it was a terelabrus rubrovittatus. I had found a picture of what reef builders called a 'terelabrus candy cane hogfish' (http://************.com/2012/11/19/terelabrus-candy-cane-hogfish-video-wrasse/) which my fish resembled more than the pictures of a terelabrus rubrovittatus.

So on a whim I wrote an email to Rudie Kuiter asking for his opinion. He stated that he did not know what species of terelabrus this was and agreed that it wasn't the sub species rubrovittatus, and that appeared to be an undescribed species.

At the same time I was exchanging emails with Mr. Kuiter I also happened to visit Old Town Aquarium in Chicago and I believe my suspisions were confirmed; they happen to have three terelabrus (amazing store but that a different subject) two were definately a terelabrus rubrovittatus and the other one was the same color pattern as the one I have.

From what I can tell the main difference between the rubrovittatus and the terelabrus sp that I have is that the rubrovitttatus has a red back with a larger red strip down it's side. Where as my terelabrus sp has a purple back with a smaller red strip down it's side.

To the best of my knowledge my terelabrus came from the West Indies. Which would then lead me to question like OldtownJoe (http://************.com/2012/12/06/terelabrus-sp-japan-brought-depths-okinawa/) "Maybe T. rubrovittatus is an antiequatorial species, with separate undescribed species in the Indian Ocean and the West Indies?"

Anyway I had fun researching this and hopefully one day my terelabrus sp gets a name. Also if anyone has the opportunity to purchase one do so. It's out all the time swimming around and mine eats out of my hand. By far one of my favorite labridae's in my tank.

P.S. I also purchased Mr. Kuiter's new Labridae Fishes: Wrasses book. It is awesome to say the least.