12) Thalassoma bifasciatum (Bloch, 1791);

Labridae .

Bluehead Wrasse; Cara De Cotorra (Fig. 3F).

Diagnosis: This species differs from the other species of the family occurring in the freshwaters of the country by the following combination of characters: body elongated, compressed and fusiform (vs. moderately elongated and compressed in Halichoeres spp.); dorsal fin spines 8 (vs. 9 in Halichoeres spp.); dorsal fin rays 13 (vs. 11 in Halichoeres spp.); lateral line pored scales 26 (vs. 27 in Halichoeres spp.); and coloration pattern (see Robertson & Van Tassell 2019).

Basis of the record: A single specimen was captured in the quebrada Cocles (Matina River basin), 2.5 km SE of Puerto Viejo, near the bridge on El Tucán-Cocles road, Limón (9.64221, -82.73588), at 22 m. a.s.l., on August 20, 2020, by Walter Carranza.

Remarks: This species inhabits reef areas, inshore bays and seagrass beds; it could be considered as an accidental/opportunistic visitor of freshwater ecosystems (Robertson & Van Tassell 2019).