First Occurrence of Blackspot Wrasse, Decodon melasma Gomon 1974 (Pisces: Labridae) in California

Abstract

Wrasses (family Labridae) are epibenthic, demersal, and water-column fishes found in coastal warm-temperate and tropical waters, usually near rocky and coral reefs of the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. Although this is the second <br />largest family of marine fishes (Nelson 1994), only three species have been reported from California: rock wrasse, Halichoeres semicinctus; senorita, Oxyjulis californica; and California sheephead, Semicossyphus pulcher (Hubbs et al. 1979; Eschmeyer et al. 1983). This paper reports the first occurrences of a fourth species of wrasse in California.