About Choerodon anchorago (Bloch, 1791)
Scientific Classification
The orange-dotted tuskfish, with the scientific name Choerodon anchorago, is a species of wrasse native to the Indo-Pacific region.
Geographic Range
Its range extends from Sri Lanka in the west to French Polynesia in the east, north to the Ryukyu Islands, and south to New Caledonia.
Habitat and Size
This species lives on reefs at depths between 1 and 25 meters (3.3 to 82.0 feet), and can grow to a total length of 50 centimeters (20 inches).
Observed Tool Use Behavior
This species has been observed exhibiting behavior that may represent animal tool use.
Blue Planet II Feature
An orange-dotted tuskfish named Percy, which was female at the time of filming, was featured in the first episode of the BBC series Blue Planet II.
Percy's Clam-Breaking Behavior
Filmed on the Great Barrier Reef, Percy was recorded repeatedly breaking open clams: she carried clams to a specific group of hard coral that filmmakers called a 'castle', then struck the clams against a specific patch of the coral until they cracked.
Conspecific Behavior Documentation
The same behavior has been documented in other orange-dotted tuskfish individuals from Palau.
Related Species Behavior
Similar behavior has also been recorded in the closely related blackspot tuskfish and a small number of other wrasse species.
Behavior Classification
This behavior is considered to potentially be a form of tool use by animals.
