Crescent-Tail Hogfish

Scientific Name: Bodianus sp.
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 10cm
Identification: Red with white belly; 2 narrow white stripes from snout to tail, large black spot on tail base extends onto tail and is bordered by crescents of yellow, red and black, black spot on upper rear gill cover.
Favourite: Undescribed species.
Hide-out: Deep reefs in 20-60m.
Location: Localized - Known from scattered locations in Indonesia and at Christmas I. in the Central Pacific.

Rhomboid Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus rhomboidalis
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 8.5cm
Identification: TP - Yellow-orange body; blue wavy lines and thin stripes on head and forebody.
Favourite: Form groups.
Hide-out: Sand and rubble patches of outer reefs in 35-50m.
Location: Localized - Kwajalein Atoll in Marshall Is, Micronesia.

Blackfin Hogfish

Scientific Name: Bodianus loxozonus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 40cm
Identification: Red to yellow upper head and back, pale below; numerous pale thin stripes run from head to tail, large diagonal black area across tail base; ventral fin and border of anal fin black.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Lagoon and seaward reef slopes in 3-40m.
Location: Pacific - Vietnam to French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to E. Australia.

Redtailed Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus scottorum
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 12cm
Identification: TP - Shades of green with pale yellow to reddish underside; red to reddish tail, red to yellow dorsal fin and dark blue anal fin; black speckles on upper forebody.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Coral or rubble of outer slopes in 3-40m.
Location: South Pacific - Coral Sea to Society and Tuamotu Is. in French Polynesia and east to Pitcaim Is.

Redback Ring Wrasse

Scientific Name: Hologymnosus rhodonotus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 32cm
Identification: IP - Elongate; white with 3-4 red stripes becoming yellow towards tail, white belly; dark 'ear' spot.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Mixed rubble, coral and Halimeda algae in 15-40m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Hibernia Reef, Timor Sea in Indonesia, Philippines to S.W. Japan.

Redfin Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus rubripinnis
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 8cm
Identification: TP - Brownish red with pale red to white belly, brilliant scarlet dorsal, anal and ventral fins.
Favourite: Form groups.
Hide-out: Rubble and coral areas at base of coastal reef slopes in 20-40m.
Location: Asian Pacific - Kalimantan (Borneo) and N. Sulawesi in Indonesia and Philippines.

Pastel Ring Wrasse

Scientific Name: Hologymnosus doliatus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 40cm
Identification: TP - Elongate; light green; blue and green markings on head, numerous blue body bars, wide pale bar with blue borders on forebody, bicolor spot on edge of gill cover.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Mixed sand, rubble and coral areas to 30m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - E. Africa to Micronesia, Samoa and Line Is. in eastern Central Pacific. S. Japan to S.E. Australia.

Randall's Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus randalli
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 11cm
Identification: Blue head with magenta back, violet belly and tail, broad yellow-orange stripe on side; rounded tail.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Rubble bottoms of lagoons and outer reefs in 10-40m.
Location: Localized - Offshore reefs of N.W. Australia.

Ring Wrasse

Scientific Name: Hologymnosus annulatus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 40cm
Identification: TP - Elongate; dark green to greenish blue with purplish thin bars.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Seaward reef slopes in 8-40m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Line Is. and Pitcaim Is. east of French Polynesia. S. Japan to S.E. Australia.

Rainbow Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus cenderawasih
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 9cm
Identification: TP - Pinkish with broad yellow streak on middle and 4-5 large black blotches on upper side.
Hide-out: Rubble bottoms at base of slopes of seaward reefs in 22-60m.
Location: Localized - Known only from Cenderawasih Bay, Papua Province, Indonesia.

Blackeye Thicklip

Scientific Name: Hemigymnus melapterus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 60cm
Identification: TP - Gray head and forebody, black rear body with pale streak or spot on most scales; often large dusky spot behind eye; large lips.
Favourite: Solitary.
Hide-out: Mixed sand, rubble and coral areas to 30m.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Micronesia and French Polynesia. S.W. Japan to S.E. Australia and Lord Howe I.

Purple-Lined Wrasse

Scientific Name: Cirrhilabrus lineatus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 12cm
Identification: TP - Pale purple to magenta body; dorsal, anal and tail fins yellow to orange with blue spots; bright blue lines and spots on head and forebody.
Favourite: Solitary or form groups.
Hide-out: Rubble bottoms near reefs in 8-55m.
Location: Localized - Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, New Caledonia and Loyalty Is.

Barred Thicklip

Scientific Name: Hemigymnus fasciatus
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 50cm
Identification: TP/IP - Black body with 5 narrow white bars; green head with pink bands; thick lips.
Favourite: Solitary or form small groups.
Hide-out: Mixed sand, rubble and coral areas of lagoons, passes and outer slopes to 25m, more common on sheltered reefs.
Location: Indo-Pacific - Red Sea and E. Africa to Micronesia, Line Is. and Ducie I. east of French Polynesia. S. Japan to S.E. Australia.

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.

Walton Flasher

Scientific Name: Paracheilinus walton
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 6cm
Identification: TP - Courtship pattern consists of white dorsal fin and backward projecting, rounded filamentous rays, bright red to black along rear back. Much smaller than other flashers.
Favourite: Aggregations.
Hide-out: Rubble bottoms near coral reefs in 35-60m.
Location: Localized - Cenderawasih Bay, Western New Guinea.

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.

Mccosker's Flasher

Scientific Name: Paracheilinus mccoskeri
Family: Wrasses - Labridae
Maximum Size: 7cm
Identification: TP - Orange-red or yellowish with violet to blue stripes, outer half of anal fin red; long filament extends from central dorsal fin, round tail.
Favourite: Form aggregations.
Hide-out: Rubble and weedy bottoms in 6-50m.
Location: Indian Ocean - Comoro, Maldives and Andaman Sea to N.W. Sumatra.