Image Gallery: Wrasses

The wrasses are one of the more conspicuous coral reef and temperate water fish families.  They often exhibit distinctive colour changes as they mature.  The family Labridae is the second largest family of fishes in Australia.  This gallery contains only a few of more than 225 species known from Australia (680 species worldwide).

Snakeskin Wrasse, Eupetrichthys angustipes Snakeskin Wrasse, Eupetrichthys angustipes
A Snakeskin Wrasse at Gordon’s Bay A Snakeskin Wrasse at Gordon’s Bay
Spot-tail Wrasse at Ningaloo Reef Spot-tail Wrasse at Ningaloo Reef
Spot-tail Wrasse, Coris caudimacula Spot-tail Wrasse, Coris caudimacula
Striped Pigfish, Bodianus izuensis Striped Pigfish, Bodianus izuensis
Striped Pigfish, Bodianus izuensis at Solitary Islands Marine Park Striped Pigfish, Bodianus izuensis at Solitary Islands Marine Park
Juvenile Surge Wrasse Juvenile Surge Wrasse
Surge Wrasse, Thalassoma purpureum Surge Wrasse, Thalassoma purpureum
A Threespot Wrasse at Mantis Reef A Threespot Wrasse at Mantis Reef
Tripletail Maori Wrasse caught near Ningaloo Reef Tripletail Maori Wrasse caught near Ningaloo Reef
Tubemouth, Siphonognathus argyrophanes Tubemouth, Siphonognathus argyrophanes
Head of a Tubemouth Head of a Tubemouth
Tubemouth in a weed bed Tubemouth in a weed bed
Twotone Wrasse at South West Solitary Island Twotone Wrasse at South West Solitary Island
Twotone Wrasse, Halichoeres prosopeion Twotone Wrasse, Halichoeres prosopeion
Venus Tuskfish, Choerodon venustus Venus Tuskfish, Choerodon venustus
Violetline Maori Wrasse at Charlie's Reef, Mamanuca Islands Violetline Maori Wrasse at Charlie's Reef, Mamanuca Islands
Violetline Maori Wrasse at Charlie's Reef, Fiji Violetline Maori Wrasse at Charlie's Reef, Fiji
Violetline Maori Wrasse at Charlie's Reef Violetline Maori Wrasse at Charlie's Reef
Head of a Western Blue Groper Head of a Western Blue Groper