The wrasses are a family, Labridae, of marine ray-finned fish, many of which are brightly colored. The family is large and diverse, with over 600 species in 81 genera, which are divided into nine subgroups or tribes.
Parrotfish are a group of fish species traditionally regarded as a family (Scaridae), but now often treated as a subfamily (Scarinae) or tribe (Scarini) of the wrasses (Labridae). With roughly 95 species, this group's largest species richness is in the Indo-Pacific. They are found in coral reefs, rocky coasts, and seagrass beds, and can play a significant role in bioerosion.
Sequential hermaphroditism is one of the two types of hermaphroditism, the other type being simultaneous hermaphroditism. It occurs when the organism's sex changes at some point in its life. A sequential hermaphrodite produces eggs and sperm at different stages in life. Sequential hermaphroditism occurs in many fish, gastropods, and plants. Species that can undergo these changes do so as a normal event within their reproductive cycle, usually cued by either social structure or the achievement of a certain age or size.
Thalassoma bifasciatum, the bluehead, bluehead wrasse or blue-headed wrasse, is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae. It is native to the coral reefs of the tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. Individuals are small and rarely live longer than two years. They form large schools over the reef and are important cleaner fish in the reefs they inhabit.
The California sheephead is a species of wrasse native to the eastern Pacific Ocean. Its range is from Monterey Bay, California, to the Gulf of California, Mexico. It can live for over 50 years and can reach a size of up to 91 cm (3 ft) and a weight of 16 kg (35 lb). It is carnivorous, living in rocky reef and kelp bed habitats, feeding primarily on sea urchins, molluscs, and crustaceans.
Bodianus or the hogfishes is a genus of fish in the family Labridae found in the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Ocean. These species have many parasites.
Semicossyphus, commonly known as sheephead wrasses, are an invalid genus of wrasses native to the Pacific Ocean. It is now considered a synonym of Bodianus.
Bodianus bilunulatus, the tarry hogfish, is a species of wrasse native to the Indian Ocean from the African coast to the western Pacific Ocean to Japan, New Caledonia, and the Philippines.
The purple-lined wrasse, also known as the lavender wrasse, is a species of wrasse native to coral reefs of New Caledonia and Australia, where it can be found at depths from 20 to 55 m. This species can reach a total length of 12 cm (4.7 in). It can be found in the aquarium trade. As a member of the family Labridae, Cirrhilabrus lineatus displays hermaphroditic behavior where a female may become a male when it is biologically favorable to do so. Generally, this occurs when competition from larger males disappears.
The bird wrasse, Gomphosus varius, is a species of the wrasse family.
The barred thicklip wrasse is a species of fish belonging to the wrasse family, native from the Indo-Pacific.
The yellowhead wrasse is a fish species belonging to wrasse family native to shallow tropical waters in the Caribbean Sea and western Atlantic Ocean.
Bodianus busellatus is a species of wrasse native to tropical and warm temperate waters of the south central Pacific, particularly the Marquesas Islands. This species was described by Martin F. Gomon of the Australian Museum in 2006 with the type locality given as northeast of Matakumu Point on Fatu Hiva in the Marquesas Islands. This species is found only in the Marquesas and Pitcairn Islands.
Bodianus bathycapros is a species of wrasse native to tropical and warm temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean, particularly the Hawaiian Islands. It is restricted to deeper waters and has been observed from submersibles at depths of around 190 metres (620 ft). It is an oviparous species in which the male and female form distinct pairs when spawning.
Bodianus neopercularis, is a species of wrasse from the family Labridae which is native to tropical and warm temperate waters of the Indo-West Pacific, particularly the Marshall Islands. A record of Bodianus opercularis from Palau has now been reidentified as this species.
Bodianus albotaeniatus, the Hawaiian hogfish, is a species of wrasse native to the Hawaiian Islands. This species occurs on reef slopes at depths of from 3 to 160 m with the adults being found in deeper waters than the juveniles. This species can reach 55 cm (22 in) in total length with a maximum recorded weight of 1.8 kg (4.0 lb). It is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and is also popular as a game fish. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.
Bodianus vulpinus, the western pigfish, is a species of wrasse native to tropical and warm temperate waters of the Pacific Ocean, namely Western Australia.
Bodianus darwini is a species of ray-finned fish native to the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean. Common names include the Chilean sheepshead wrasse, the goldspot sheepshead or the Galapagos sheepshead wrasse.
Bodianus masudai is a species of wrasse. It is found in the western Pacific Ocean.
The novaculine wrasses are saltwater fish of the tribe Novaculini, a subgroup of the wrasse family (Labridae). The group is also known more colloquially as the razorfishes. They are found throughout the global tropics, and live obligately on the sand plains of reef-associated slopes.
