Pinstripe Wrasse

Interesting Info

• The Pinstripe Wrasse, Pseudocheilinus evanidus, is a small reef wrasse distributed across the tropical Indo-Pacific, including the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Christmas Island, Cocos (Keeling) Islands, and north-western Western Australia.
• The body is reddish to purplish with thin, horizontal golden-yellow lines that create its signature “pinstripe” appearance.
• Its large, bright red eyes stand out vividly against its striped body and are one of its most striking features.
• Males and females are similar in colour, though males may intensify their striping during spawning periods.
• Juveniles resemble adults but are paler with less distinct stripes, helping them blend among coral rubble and algae for protection.
• The species is cryptic and shy, often hiding within coral branches or darting into reef crevices when disturbed.
• It feeds on tiny benthic invertebrates such as amphipods, copepods, worms, and molluscs, which it nips from coral and rock surfaces.
• Like many wrasses, it is believed to be a protogynous hermaphrodite, starting life as female with the ability to transition into a dominant male.
• Spawning behaviour is not well studied but is likely pelagic, with eggs released into the water column to drift as plankton until hatching.
• Its lifespan is not well documented, but closely related wrasses live around 4–6 years in the wild.
• The species name evanidus means “vanishing” or “fading away” in Latin, reflecting its elusive behaviour and tendency to disappear quickly into coral cover.