Celebes Maori Wrasse

Interesting Info

• The Celebes Maori Wrasse is found in Australian waters—mainly offshore reefs of northern Western Australia, including Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea.
• Beyond Australia, its range stretches across the tropical eastern Indo-West Pacific—from the Moluccas and Solomon Islands up to southern Japan and southward to New Caledonia and Rowley Shoals.
• Globally, it’s recorded from a wide Western Pacific area, with recent sightings even in Tonga.
• Males are mottled reddish-brown with pale flecks, glowing orange lines radiating from the eye, a tiny blue spot on the front of the dorsal fin, and a dark blotch on the tail base.
• Females wear a brownish-red patchwork of blotches and bars, often forming a mid-side band, and a small white spot on the rear edge of the gill cover.
• Juveniles bear a clear black eye-spot (ocellus) near the base of their tail to confuse predators.
• They live in coral-rich sheltered bays and lagoon reefs, often where soft and brittle corals flourish above reef slopes.
• They use their long, pointy snout to probe small crustaceans, tiny fishes, and other bottom-dwelling invertebrates hiding in coral crevices.
• Their snout is shaped like a little beak that helps them fish for food in tight spaces.
• They are oviparous (egg-laying) and form distinct pairs when breeding—male and female meet, release eggs and sperm, and let the eggs drift as plankton.
• Like many wrasses, they are protogynous hermaphrodites—starting life as females and later turning male as they grow bigger.
• At night, they likely rest tucked into reef crevices—just like many wrasses seeking safety after dark.
• They help keep coral reefs healthy by nibbling on small invertebrates that could otherwise damage coral surfaces.