Pennant Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus joanallenae
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 6cm
Identification: TP - Red upper head and body darkening toward rear, white below, blue tail; elongate 1st dorsal spine, large black ventral fins.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Rubble bottoms in 12-25m.
Location: Localized - N. Sumatra in Indonesia.

Peacock Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus temminckii
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: IP - Shades of brown to red, whitish belly; two narrow blue to green body stripes, red dorsal and anal fins with blackish bases, blue spots on tail.
Favourite: Form groups with a few males.
Hide-out: Rubble of seaward reefs in 6-20m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Indonesia to Papua New Guinea. S. Japan to W. Australia.

Orangeback Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus aurantidorsalis
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: IP - Bright orange upper body and violet to blue lower body.
Favourite: Form groups.
Hide-out: Rubble bottoms and adjacent coral reefs of lagoons and seaward slopes in 10-25m.
Location: Localized - Togean Is. in Tomini Bay, E. Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Morrison's Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus morrisoni
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 8cm
Identification: TP - Reddish to purple-brown upper body, white below, black dorsal, anal and ventral fins; long heavy 1st dorsal spine.
Favourite: Form small groups.
Hide-out: Rubble and Halimeda algae beds at base of seaward slopes in 20-40m.
Location: Localized - Hibernia Reef off N.W. Australia.

Marjorie's Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus marjorie
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 7cm
Identification: TP - Bright red upper body and whitish gray below, yellowish tail base, bold black margin on dorsal and tail fins.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Outer reefs in 15-40m.
Location: Localized - Fiji.

Magenta-Streaked Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus laboutei
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 11cm
Identification: TP - Pattern of curved red and yellow-orange lines on upper body, white below; diagonal magenta band at pectoral fin base.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Rubble bottoms near coral reefs in 8-55m.
Location: Localized - Coral Sea, New Caledonia including Loyalty Is, Vanuatu and Fiji.

Irian Jaya Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus tonozukai
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 7cm
Identification: TP - Red upper body, white below with short filament extends from mid-dorsal fin.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Rubble areas near seaward reefs in 15-40m.
Location: Localized - Gulf of Tomini and Lembeh Straits on E. Sulawesi and Irian Jaya in Indonesia.

Fiji Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus sp.
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 13cm
Identification: TP - Overall purple-brown with white on lower head and body; dorsal and anal fins with blackish base and red outer portion with narrow blue margin; caudal fin yellowish with blue spots.
Favourite: Usually in groups.
Hide-out: Rubble bottoms in about 10-30m.
Location: Localized - Known only from Fiji.

Coral Sea Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus bathyphilus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 11cm
Identification: TP - Red upper body, yellowish to white below; purplish dorsal fin with broad black border and black blotch on front. Undescribed species.
Favourite: Form aggregations over rubble bottoms.
Hide-out: Outer reefs in 5-30m.
Location: Localized - Coral Sea, off N.E. Australia.

Bluesided Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus cyanopleura
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: TP - Blue to blue-green upper head and forebody, orange to brown to green rear body, pale belly.
Favourite: Solitary or form aggregations.
Hide-out: Mixed coral and rubble areas of lagoons and seaward slopes in 2-25m.
Location: East Indo-Asian Pacific - E. Andaman Sea to Papua New Guinea. S.W. Japan to N.W. Australia and Great Barrier Reef.

Backstriped Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus katherinae
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 9cm
Identification: TP - Reddish to greenish brown with greenish stripe centered on back, pale belly; blue dorsal and anal fins with lavender borders.
Favourite: Solitary or form aggregations.
Hide-out: Patch reefs on outer reef slopes and in clear lagoons in 10-40m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Micronesia from Palau to Pohnpei and Ryukyu and Izu Is. south of Japan.

Tripletail Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cheilinus trilobatus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 45cm
Identification: TP - Shades of green; ornate pattern of pink lines and spots cover head, two white to whitish bars on tail base; rounded tail fin with protruding upper and lower lobes.
Favourite: Solitary and wary.
Hide-out: Lagoons, passes and outer reefs to 30m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to Micronesia and Tuamotu Is. in French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Australia and New Caledonia.

Redbreasted Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cheilinus fasciatus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 36cm
Identification: Red-orange rear head and forebody; alternating white and blackish bars on body and tail.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Mixed sand, rubble and coral areas of lagoons and coastal reefs in 3-40m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - Red Sea to Micronesia and Samoa. S.W. Japan to E. Australia and New Caledonia.

Humphead Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cheilinus undulatus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 229cm
Identification: TP - Blue head with maze-like markings, green body with dark vertical streaks; pronounced hump above eyes.
Favourite: Solitary or occasionally in pairs; wary.
Hide-out: Lagoon and outer reefs to 60m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Micronesia and Tuamotu Is. in French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to Australia and New Caledonia.

Floral Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cheilinus chlorourus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 36cm
Identification: Highly variable from orange-brown to green-brown; usually prominent horizontal rows of pink or white dots, often white to whitish blotches on back and tail.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Mixed sand, rubble and coral areas of lagoons and coastal reefs in 2-30m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to Micronesia and Tuamotu, Marquesas and Rapa Is. in French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to E. Australia.

Philippine Wrasse

Scientific Name: Pseudocoris bleekeri
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Identification: TP - Green with combination of dark bars; elongate spots and saddles, yellow patch on middle of side.
Hide-out: Rubble and coral slopes of seaward reefs in 10-30m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Bali to Moluccan Is. in Indonesia, Philippines and S.W. Japan.

Redspot Wrasse

Scientific Name: Pseudocoris yamashiroi
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 15cm
Identification: TP - Shades of green with white belly; black spots and blotches on green areas, black borders on tail.
Favourite: Form aggregations above bottom.
Hide-out: Edge of reef slopes in 5-30m.
Location: Indo-West Pacific - E. Africa to Australia and Samoa. S. Japan to Kermadec Is.

Rust-Banded Wrasse

Scientific Name: Pseudocoris aurantiofasciatus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 20cm
Identification: TP - Dark blue-gray; several narrow black bars just behind pectoral fin (may have orange bars between), narrow white bar across rear body.
Favourite: Form groups.
Hide-out: Outer reef slopes in 25-50m.
Location: Pacific - S. Japan and Indonesia to Tuamotu Is. in French Polynesia.