Need help with fish identification!

[yukoneer]

I need some help with fish identification. All were taken at Molasses Reef in Key Largo, FL

1) what's this one?

2) This one?

3) and this one?

THANKS!

I am in the process of creating a gallery and would like to know the fish id's before I post them all.

 

[Tom Smedley]

1 - Hogfish - Lachnolaimus maximus
2 - Bluehead Wrasse - Thalassoma bifasciatum - Terminal phase in center
Juvenile phase each side
3. Bluehead Wrasse initial phase

 

[yukoneer]

1 - Hogfish - Lachnolaimus maximus
2 - Bluehead Wrasse - Thalassoma bifasciatum - Terminal phase in center
Juvenile phase each side
3. Bluehead Wrasse initial phase

terminal phase? meaning it's about to expire (it's going to die)?

 

[diversteve]

terminal phase? meaning it's about to expire (it's going to die)?

Meaning it's changed to it's mature(adult) color scheme.

(It will look the same when it is terminal...either dying of old age or when it's eaten)

 

[Scubakevdm]

He looks little for a terminal male. The regular one probably got whacked.

 

[Tom Smedley]

Don't confuste terminal phase with terminal event. Although few things in the ocean die of old age.

terminal phase? meaning it's about to expire (it's going to die)?

 

[H2Andy]

terminal phase? meaning it's about to expire (it's going to die)?

good guess... no... actually, wrasses (like parrotfish) can change gender and go
through up to three phases (juvenile, initial, and terminal):

After wrasses become adults [i.e. once they end their juvenile phase], they are called initial phase males or females. Those that were born male will always remain as an initial phase male and will never have a chance to be a dominant male. Some of the adult females will change into males. These males and the remaining females are also called initial phase wrasses. But some of the larger females will become supermale [or "terminal phase" males].
This most often happens when a supermale dies. The supermale is larger than all the
other males and has distinct colors and patterns on its skin.

http://www.sheddaquarium.org/sea/fact_sheets.cfm?id=79

 

[Scubakevdm]

Don't confuste terminal phase with terminal event. Although few things in the ocean die of old age.

I'm not, I don't think. I'm mostly remarking that the fish in the picture looks like just a little guy. Big alpha males get burley and have a great big snout and get all snaggle-toothed. They're not cute. When a big dog like that is suddenly removed, another one mutates into that phase, as Andy points out. I think it happens pretty quickly, like over a two or three day period, and I thought that it was usually the largest fish around that got the job. Since the photo was taken in a preserve, I was kinda suprised at the diminutive size of the alpha.