Zigzag Wrasse

Interesting Info

• The Zigzag Wrasse, is a brightly patterned wrasse found throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific, including northern Australia, the Great Barrier Reef, Coral Sea, Western Australia, and offshore islands such as Christmas and Cocos (Keeling).
• The species is named for the bold zigzag lines and blotches across its body, which stand out against its greenish to bluish background.
• Males in terminal colour phase are particularly striking, with bright green, yellow, and blue hues accented by darker zigzag markings along the sides.
• Females and juveniles are more subdued, often pale green to whitish with faint zigzag stripes and a small black spot near the dorsal fin base.
• Juveniles sometimes have an additional eyespot near the tail, which acts as a decoy to distract predators.
• Like other wrasses, Zigzag Wrasses are protogynous hermaphrodites: they begin life as females, with the largest individuals changing into dominant, brightly coloured males.
• They are active daytime foragers, feeding on small benthic invertebrates such as worms, amphipods, copepods, and small molluscs, which they pick from sand and rubble.
• At night or when threatened, they bury themselves in sand to avoid predation, emerging again in daylight to feed.
• Spawning occurs in pairs or small groups at dusk, with fertilised eggs released into the open water to drift as plankton.
• Their lifespan is not well studied, but similar-sized wrasses typically live 4–6 years in the wild.
• Predators include larger wrasses, snappers, and groupers, though their speed and ability to bury in sand provide effective protection.
• The species name scapularis means “of the shoulder,” likely referencing the distinct dark spot near the dorsal fin base seen in females and juveniles.