Description:

Dorsal spines: 9; Dorsal rays: 10-11; Anal spines: 3; Anal rays: 10.

A small wrasse, with moderately elongate, slender body and paddle-like truncate to rounded caudal fin. Mouth terminal, lips thick, the lower strongly bi-lobed. Single pair 
of curved canine teeth anteriorly in each jaw and a canine posteriorly on upper jaw. Sides of jaws with several rows of small teeth.

Colour. Adults light blue, shading to pale yellowish or white anteriorly, with a broad black stripe (becoming progressively broader posteriorly) from snout through the eye 
to rear edge of caudal fin. The white area changes to bright blue anteriorly. Juveniles largely black with an electric blue stripe on back which continues onto dorsal part 
of head.

Maturity: Lm unknown. Range unknown. Max Length: 14 cm TL, commonly to 10 cm TL.
 

Inhabits coral rich areas of inner lagoons and subtidal reef flats to seaward reefs (depth 1-40 m, usually 1-30 m). Establishes stations on prominent coral formations where 
other fish come to be cleaned. Feeds on crustacean ectoparasites and mucus of other fishes. Cleaning stations are occupied by a pair of adults, a group of juveniles or a 
group of females accompanied by a dominant male. Protogynous hermaphrodite. Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding. Waldie et al. (2011) have shown that the cleaner 
wrasses promote a healthier and more diverse fish population in their coral outcrop.  

This species is not protected or subject to fishery regulations. It is too small to be caught in the artisanal fishery.

Froese, R. & D. Pauly. (Eds.) (2020). FishBase. https://www.fishbase.se/summary/5459 (11/05/20).
Randall, J.E. (1986). Labridae. p. 683-706. In M.M. Smith and P.C. Heemstra (eds.) Smiths' sea fishes. Springer-Verlag, Berlin.
Shea, S. & Liu, M. (2010). Labroides dimidiatus. The IUCN Red List 2010: https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187396A8523800.en. (11/05/20).
Waldie, P.A. et al. (2011). Long-Term Effects of the Cleaner Fish Labroides dimidiatus on Coral Reef Fish Communities. Plos One https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0021201 (11/05/20). 

Nevill, J.E.G. (2020). Labroides dimidiatus, Bluestreak cleaner wrasse. Seychelles Seatizens. www.seatizens.sc. https://seatizens.sc/species/labroides-dimidiatus-valenciennes-1839/ (edited 13/07/22).