Sling-jaw wrasse

Sling-jaw wrasse
Male
Dark morph female
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Labridae
Genus: Epibulus
Species:
E. insidiator
Binomial name
Epibulus insidiator
(Pallas, 1770)
Synonyms
List
    • Sparus insidiator Pallas, 1770
    • Epibulus insidiator var. flava Bleeker, 1849
    • Epibulus insidiator var. fusca Bleeker, 1849
    • Epibulus striatus Day, 1871

The slingjaw wrasse (Epibulus insidiator) is a species of wrasse from the family Labridae which is native to the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific where it occurs around coral reefs. Along with its sister species in the genus Epibulus, this species is notable for its highly protrusible jaws, an adaptation for feeding in complex aquatic environments. This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and can be found in the aquarium trade.