Hypoplectrus puella (Cuvier, 1828)

Body Shape

Hypoplectrus puella (Cuvier, 1828) has a deep, highly laterally compressed body and head, with a straight forehead, rather short snout, and a protrusible upper jaw. It has an angular preoperculum with serrations along its edge, and a number of small forward-pointing spines on its lower margin near the angle.

Fins

Its continuous dorsal fin has ten spines and 14–17 soft rays. It has long pelvic fins that extend to or beyond the anus, and its caudal fin is slightly forked.

Coloration

This species has a pale yellowish to tan head and body, marked with up to 7 dark brown vertical bars that vary in number, darkness, and length. Its base body coloration is predominantly brown and yellow, though some individuals show blue hues. Its large, noticeable pelvic fins vary in color from yellow to dark bluish brown. Thin, iridescent blue lines may be present on the head, and rarely on the body as well.

Size

This species reaches a maximum published total length of 14.2 centimetres (5.6 in).

Distribution

Hypoplectrus puella occurs in the central western Atlantic Ocean, and it is the most numerous and widespread species in the genus Hypoplectrus.

Range

Its range extends from Bermuda south to the Florida Keys and the Bahamas, into the Gulf of Mexico, from Tuxpan in Mexico along the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula to northwestern Cuba, and covers the whole of the Caribbean Sea.

Habitat

Hypoplectrus puella is a solitary species that lives on rocky or coral reefs near hiding places. Unlike other hamlet species, it can be found in turbid water. It occurs at depths between 3 and 90 metres (9.8 and 295.3 ft).

Hermaphrodites

All species in the genus Hypoplectrus are synchronous hermaphrodites, and can switch between "male" and "female" roles when spawning. Juveniles of H. puella live in seagrass beds.

Parrotfish Association

In Panama, this species has been observed following feeding schools of the striped parrotfish (Scarus iseri), taking advantage of the disturbance parrotfish schools cause to prey species as they forage across the substrate, disturbing and grazing on the algal gardens of territorial damselfish. H. puella individuals that associate with parrotfish schools are much more successful at catching prey than solitary hunting individuals. It has been proposed that this hamlet is a mimic of some parrotfish species, but they only share similar coloration and have different body shapes.

Diet

H. puella is a carnivorous species that feeds on other fishes and mobile benthic crustaceans. It is crepuscular, feeding mainly at dusk and sheltering in caves or crevices during the day.