Oxycheilinus mentalis (mental wrasse) is a species of wrasse found in the Western Indian Ocean, in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.[2]
It has been known to change its colouration to match species of non-predatory parrotfish and surgeonfish. It then swims with these harmless model species and predates upon passing fish. This is a form of aggressive mimicry.[3] Without a model fish, the mental wrasse has a reddish pink colour.
^Liu, M.; To, A. (2010). "Oxycheilinus mentalis". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010: e.T187735A8616212. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187735A8616212.en. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
^ abFroese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2019). "Oxycheilinus mentalis" in FishBase. August 2019 version.
^Randall, J. E. (2005). A review of mimicry in marine fishes. Zoological Studies, 44(3), 299–328.
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