Senator Wrasse

Interesting Info

• The Senator Wrasse is a temperate reef fish found across southern Australia, from Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and into southern Western Australia.
• Males are spectacularly patterned with bright red bars and green-blue highlights along their sides, a yellow spot behind the pectoral fins, and a green face with blue lines. Females and juveniles are smaller and reddish-orange with faint bars and mottling, making them far less vivid.
• Juveniles are often mistaken for different wrasse species due to their plain reddish colouration, but they develop their signature patterns as they grow and mature.
• Like many wrasses, Senator Wrasses are protogynous hermaphrodites. They begin life as females, and some later transform into dominant, brightly coloured males that defend territories and harems of females.
• They feed mainly on benthic invertebrates such as crabs, shrimps, snails, worms, and amphipods, which they crush with strong jaws and teeth. Their foraging helps control invertebrate populations on reefs.
• They prefer shallow rocky reefs and kelp beds, often in areas with sandy patches and plenty of crevices. They are frequently seen by divers darting between kelp fronds in search of food.
• Spawning occurs in spring and summer. Males brighten further in colour and perform courtship displays to attract females. Eggs are released into the water column and drift with currents until hatching.
• Their lifespan is estimated at 5–7 years in the wild.
• At night, they rest in rocky crevices or beneath kelp holdfasts, darkening their colours for camouflage.
• The common name “Senator Wrasse” comes from the bright red and green stripes of males, which resemble the colourful robes of Roman senators.