Redblotched Wrasse

Interesting Info

• The Redblotched Wrasse occurs in Australian waters from the northern Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea across northern Australia to Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.
• Globally, it ranges widely through the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea and East Africa across the Indian Ocean, throughout Southeast Asia and Micronesia, and eastward to the islands of French Polynesia.
• Juveniles are strikingly patterned with a white body, bold black saddles, and two large black “eye spots” near the tail, giving rise to the alternate name “Twinspot Wrasse.”
• As they mature, juveniles transform dramatically into adults with dark green to bluish bodies, reddish blotches along the sides, and a broad head with thick lips and powerful jaws.
• Adult males are generally larger and darker, while females and initial-phase adults may retain lighter greenish tones with less intense blotching.
• Like other Coris wrasses, this species undergoes protogynous hermaphroditism, starting life as females with some transitioning into dominant males.
• They feed on a variety of benthic invertebrates, including sea urchins, molluscs, crustaceans, and starfish, using their strong jaws and teeth to crush shells and spines.
• Adults are often seen flipping rubble or digging into sand to extract hidden prey, a behaviour that helps shape the reef environment.
• The Redblotched Wrasse can live for over 20 years, making it one of the longer-lived reef fishes.
• Natural predators include large reef sharks and groupers, though the wrasse’s size and strength make adults less vulnerable than juveniles.
• Divers and snorkellers are often amazed by the extreme difference between juveniles and adults, making this wrasse one of the most memorable “before and after” transformations in the fish world.
• Juveniles are commonly found in shallow lagoons and rubble patches, while adults patrol outer reef slopes and deeper sandy channels.