''Plectorhinchus'' is a genus of marine ray-finned fish, Sweetlips (fish), sweetlips belonging to the subfamily Plectorhinchinae which is one of two subfamilies in the Family (biology), family Haemulidae which also includes the Grunt (fish), grunts. The species in this genus are found in fresh water, fresh, brackish water, brackish, and seawater, salt waters.

Description and characteristics

These fish have big, fleshy lips and tend to live on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific in small groups or pairs. They will often associate with other fishes of similar species; several species of sweetlips sometimes swim together. They are usually seen in clusters in nooks and crannies or under overhangs. At nightfall, they venture from their shelters to seek out their bottom-dwelling invertebrate prey, such as polychaete, bristleworms, shrimps, and small crabs. Sweetlips colouring and patterning changes throughout their lives. For example, ''Plectorhinchus polytaenia'' develops more stripes with age. Juvenile sweetlips generally look quite different from the adults, and often live solitary lives on shallower reef sections. Juveniles may be banded or spotted and are usually a completely different colour from the adults of their species. Small juveniles have an undulating swimming pattern, possibly mimicking poisonous flatworms as a means of predator avoidance.

Species

These are the currently recognized species in this genus: * ''Plectorhinchus albovittatus'' (Eduard Rüppell, Rüppell, 1838) (Two-striped sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus caeruleonothus'' Jeffrey W. Johnson (ichthyologist), J. W. Johnson & Jessica Worthington Wilmer, Worthington Wilmer, 2015 (Blue bastard)
* ''Plectorhinchus ceylonensis'' (James Leonard Brierley Smith, J. L. B. Smith, 1956) (Sri Lanka sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides'' Bernard Germain de Lacépède, Lacépède, 1801 (Harlequin sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus chrysotaenia'' (Pieter Bleeker, Bleeker, 1855) (Yellow-striped sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus chubbi'' (Charles Tate Regan, Regan, 1919) (Dusky rubberlip) * ''Plectorhinchus cinctus'' (Coenraad Jacob Temminck, Temminck & Hermann Schlegel, Schlegel, 1843) (Crescent sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus diagrammus'' (Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus, 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 1758) (Striped sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus faetela'' (Peter Forsskål, Forsskål, 1775) * ''Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus'' (Georges Cuvier, G. Cuvier, 1830) (Lemonfish) * ''Plectorhinchus gaterinus'' (Peter Forsskål, Forsskål, 1775) (Blackspotted rubberlip) * ''Plectorhinchus gibbosus'' (Bernard Germain de Lacépède, Lacépède, 1802) (Harry hotlips) * ''Plectorhinchus griseus'' (Georges Cuvier, G. Cuvier, 1830) * ''Plectorhinchus lessonii'' (Georges Cuvier, G. Cuvier, 1830) (Lesson's thicklip) * ''Plectorhinchus lineata'' (Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus, 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 1758) (Yellowbanded sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus macrolepis'' (George Albert Boulenger, Boulenger, 1899) (Biglip grunt) * ''Plectorhinchus macrospilus'' Ukkrit Satapoomin, Satapoomin & John Ernest Randall, J. E. Randall, 2000 (Largespot sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus makranensis'' Damadi, Moghaddam, Ghassemzadeh, Ghanbarifardi (Oman sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus mediterraneus'' (Alphone Guichenot, Guichenot, 1850) (Rubberlip grunt) * ''Plectorhinchus multivittatus'' (William John Macleay, W. J. Macleay, 1878) (Many-lined sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus obscurus'' (Albert Günther, Günther, 1872) (Giant sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus paulayi'' Franz Steindachner, Steindachner, 1895 (Zebra sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus pictus'' (Enrico Tortonese, Tortonese, 1936) (Trout sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus pica'' (Georges Cuvier, G. Cuvier, 1828) (Painted sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus plagiodesmus'' Henry Weed Fowler, Fowler, 1935 (Barred rubberlip) * ''Plectorhinchus playfairi'' (Jacques Pellegrin, Pellegrin, 1914) (Whitebarred rubberlip) * ''Plectorhinchus polytaenia'' (Pieter Bleeker, Bleeker, 1853) (Ribboned sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus schotaf'' (Peter Forsskål, Forsskål, 1775) (Minstrel sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus sordidus'' (Carl Benjamin Klunzinger, Klunzinger, 1870) (Sordid rubberlip) * ''Plectorhinchus umbrinus'' (Carl Benjamin Klunzinger, Klunzinger, 1870) * ''Plectorhinchus unicolor'' (William John Macleay, W. J. Macleay, 1883) (Sombre sweetlips) * ''Plectorhinchus vittatus'' (Carl Linnaeus, Linnaeus, 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 1758) (Indian Ocean oriental sweetlips) Image:Harlequin Sweetlips (Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides) (8499712403).jpg, ''Plectorhinchus chaetodonoides'' Image:KoshoDI.jpg, ''Plectorhinchus cinctus'' Image:Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus at Red Sea Aquarium by Hatem Moushir 1.JPG, ''Plectorhinchus flavomaculatus'' Image:Plectorhinchus gaterinus by Line1.jpg, ''Plectorhinchus gaterinus'' Image:Plectorhinchus gibbosus Landaagiraavaru.JPG, ''Plectorhinchus gibbosus'' Image:Plectorhinchus lineatus.jpg, ''Plectorhinchus lineata'' Image:Plectorhinchus obscurus Landaagiraavaru.JPG, ''Plectorhinchus obscurus'' Image:Plectorhinchus picus.jpg, ''Plectorhinchus picus'' Image:Plectorhinchus polytaenia.jpg, ''Plectorhinchus polytaenia'' Image:Oriental Sweetlips.jpg, ''Plectorhinchus vittatus'' Image:Baby Harlequin Sweetlips.jpg, Juveniles

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q135508 Plectorhinchus, Extant Miocene first appearances Taxa named by Bernard Germain de Lacépède Marine fish genera