Julidini

The julidine wrasses are saltwater fish of the tribe Julidini, a subgroup of the wrasse family (Labridae). It contains the highest number of genera and species out of all the wrasse tribes, with 20 genera and over 200 species,^[1] comprising almost a third of all wrasse species.^[2]

Julidini
Sunset wrasse (Thalassoma lutescens)
Eastern king wrasse (Coris sandeyeri)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Labriformes
Family:	Labridae
Tribe:	Julidini Russell, 1988
Genera
20., see text

Taxonomy

A 2005 molecular phylogenetic analysis strongly supports the monophyly of Julidini.^[1][2]

It also found that the cleaner wrasse genera that traditionally comprised the tribe Labrichthyini (Labrichthys, Labropsis, Diproctacanthus, Larabicus, and Labroides), although forming a monophyletic group, were all nested within Julidini. Labrichthys is the sister group to the other cleaner wrasse genera,^[1][2] and does not act as a cleaner; it is an obligate corallivore for its entire life.^[3] Larabicus, Diproctacanthus, and Labropsis are cleaners only as juveniles and feed on corals as adults, while Labroides is a cleaner for its entire life.^[3][4][5]

Thalassoma lunare with Gomphosus varius. At Norfolk Island.

The tribe Pseudolabrini is likely the sister group of Julidini, if not nested within Julidini; the former is additionally supported by Hughes et al 2023.^[1][2]

Several genera in this tribe are problematic. Most notably, Halichoeres and Coris are paraphyletic or polyphyletic.^[1][2] Gomphosus has also been repeatedly found nested within Thalassoma.^[2]

The difficulty in resolving relationships within Julidini is a result of the rapid speciation of julidine wrasses.^[2]

Evolution

The tribe Julidini likely originated in the Eocene. It is hypothesized that the relatively warm and stable climate that followed the Early Eocene Climactic Optimum may have played a part in the diversification of julidine wrasses. Fossil julidine wrasses such as †Coris sigismundi have been found in rocks dating to the Miocene.^[2]

Genera

Genera	Image
Anampses Quoy & Gaimard, 1824	A. twistii
Coris Lacépède, 1801	C. bulbifrons
Diproctacanthus Bleeker, 1862	D. xanthurus
Gomphosus Lacépède, 1801	G. varius
Halichoeres Rüppell, 1835	H. hortulanus
Hemigymnus Günther, 1861	H. fasciatus
Hologymnosus Lacépède, 1801	H. annulatus
Labrichthys Bleeker, 1854	L. unilineatus
Labroides Bleeker, 1851	L. dimidiatus
Labropsis P. J. Schmidt, 1931	L. alleni
Larabicus Randall & Springer, 1973	L. quadrilineatus
Leptojulis Bleeker, 1862	L. cyanopleura
Macropharyngodon Bleeker, 1862	M. geoffroy
Ophthalmolepis Bleeker, 1862	O. lineolata
Parajulis Bleeker, 1865	P. poecileptera
Pseudocoris Bleeker, 1862	P. bleekeri
Pseudojuloides Fowler, 1949	P. elongatus
Stethojulis Günther, 1861	S. trilineata
Thalassoma Swainson, 1839	T. rueppellii
Xenojulis de Beaufort, 1939	X. margaritaceus