Slippery Dick

The slippery dick (Halichoeres bivittatus) is a species of wrasse native to shallow, tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean.

Slippery dick
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Labriformes
Family:	Labridae
Genus:	Halichoeres
Species:	H. bivittatus
Binomial name
Halichoeres bivittatus (Bloch, 1791)
Synonyms
Labrus bivittatus Bloch, 1791 Labrus psittaculus Lacépède, 1801 Labrus multicostatus Gronow, 1854 Julis humeralis Poey, 1860 Choerojulis grandisquamis T. N. Gill, 1863 Choerojulis arangoi Poey, 1876 Platyglossus florealis D. S. Jordan & C. H. Gilbert, 1882

The slippery dick wrasse is a small fish that can reach a maximum length of 35 cm. It has a thin, elongate body with a terminal mouth, and its body coloration has three phases during its life:

1. The terminal phase is when the fish becomes a male, so the body coloration turns to green with two longitudinal dark stripes. The head and tail are covered with pink lines; it has a small black dot up to the pectoral fin.
2. The initial phase is when the juvenile becomes a female. The background body coloration is mainly whitish with pink shade, and the sides have two dark longitudinal stripes. The median one is usually black extending from the snout and via the eye to the base of the tail. The second one is a paler lateral stripe further below. The upper stripe incorporates a bicolored (green and yellow turning later to black) spot where it crosses the edge of the gills (this is present in all phases). Intermediates vary greatly, from shades of light purple to dark brown. Juveniles are usually white and have two dark stripes, but the lower (abdominal) stripe may be faint.
3. The juvenile phase. The body is usually whitish, still with the two longitudinal stripes and the spot up to the pectoral fin, as in the initial phase.

The slippery dick wrasse is widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. It can be found from North Carolina and Bermuda to Brazil, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea area.

The slippery dick wrasse is generally reef-associated at depths from 1 to 15 m (3.3 to 49.2 ft), but it's not very common in seagrass.

This species feeds on benthic invertebrates, including crabs, small fishes, sea urchins and ophiuroids, polychaetes, and gastropods.

It is a protogynous hermaphrodite. These fish form leks while breeding. In North Carolina, males defend temporary territories with peak spawning in May and June. Pair spawning typically occurs between females and terminal phase males; initial phase males occasionally try to insert themselves into the spawning event.

This species is widespread and very common throughout much of its range in the Caribbean and Florida, although it is uncommon in northeastern Brazil. There are no major threats known to this species, and population trends are unknown. It is listed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.