The wrasses are a family, Labridae, of marine fish, many of which are brightly colored. The family is large and diverse, with over 600 species in 81 genera, which are divided into 9 subgroups or tribes. They are typically small, most of them less than 20 cm (7.9 in) long, although the largest, the humphead wrasse, can measure up to 2.5 m (8.2 ft). They are efficient carnivores, feeding on a wide range of small invertebrates. Many smaller wrasses follow the feeding trails of larger fish, picking up invertebrates disturbed by their passing. Juveniles of some representatives of the genera Bodianus, Epibulus, Cirrhilabrus, Oxycheilinus, and Paracheilinus hide among the tentacles of the free-living mushroom corals & Heliofungia actiniformis.
The checkerboard wrasse is a fish belonging to the wrasse family. It is native to the area including the Indian Ocean to central Pacific Ocean.
Diana's hogfish, Bodianus diana, is a species of wrasse native to the Indian Ocean from the African coast to the Nicobars and the Cocos-Keeling Islands. Reports of its presence in the western Pacific Ocean are erroneous. It occurs on the seaward side of reefs at depths from 6 to 50 m. It can reach a length of 16.9 cm (6.7 in). This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and is found in the aquarium trade.
Jansen's wrasse is a species of ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae which is native to the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean. In the south-western Pacific Ocean it is replaced by sibling species black-barred wrasse. It can be found in the aquarium trade.
The bird wrasse, Gomphosus varius, is a species of the wrasse family.
The slingjaw wrasse is a species of wrasse from the family Labridae which is native to the tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific where it occurs around coral reefs. This species is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and can be found in the aquarium trade. Relatively mundane at first glance, this fish is notable for its highly protrusible jaws.
The inscribed wrasse is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. It is found in the southwestern Pacific Ocean.
The barred thicklip wrasse, Hemigymnus fasciatus, is a species of fish belonging to the wrasse family, native from the Indo-Pacific.
Xeniidae is a family of soft coral in the order Alcyonacea.
Macropharyngodon is a genus of wrasses native to the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
The chiseltooth wrasse is a species of marine ray-finned fish, a wrasse from the family Labridae. It is native to the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific Ocean. It is an inhabitant of coral reefs and can be found at depths from 3 to 60 m, though rarely deeper than 40 m (130 ft). This species grows to 30 cm (12 in) in total length. It is of minor importance to local commercial fisheries and can be found in the aquarium trade. P. moluccanus is the only known member of its genus.
Gomphosus caeruleus, the green birdmouth wrasse, is a species of wrasse belonging to the family Labridae. It can be found in the aquarium trade.
Macropharyngodon geoffroy, also known as the Geoffroy's wrasse, is a member of the wrasse family endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It occasionally makes its way into the aquarium trade. It grows to a length of 13 cm (5.1 in). This benthopelagic species occurs in areas of mixed sand, rubble, and coral on seaward reefs where it feeds mostly on molluscs, especially prosobranch gastropods) and foraminiferans. Macropharyngodon geoffroy is the type species of the genus Macropharyngodon.
Macropharyngodon negrosensis, the yellow-spotted wrasse, black Leopard-wrasse or black Wrasse, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. The basic colour of this species is blackish, with the scales in males edged in pale green, or marked with small, pale spots in females. Both sexes have black anal and pelvic fins, while the caudal fin is contrastingly pale although the males have blackish lobes. It distribution extends from the Andaman Sea and Christmas Island to the Philippines and Samoa, extending north to the Ryukyu Islands and south to northern Australia. This species is found in lagoon and seaward reefs where there are areas of mixed sand and coral. The juveniles are transported by currents away from their normal breeding range. These fish are frequently encountered in pairs or small loose groups, normally close to the bottom. When approached, they react by moving up and down in an distinctive manner which may confuse a potential predator. Its diet consists of small benthic animals.
The blackeye thicklip wrasse or half-and-half wrasse is a species of fish belonging to the wrasse family. It is native to the Indo-Pacific.
Macropharyngodon ornatus, the false leopard or the ornate leopard wrasse, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. It is found from Sri Lanka to western Australia, including Indonesia, although records from New Ginea have not been verified. This species occurs down to 30 metres (98 ft), singly or in small groups on sheltered seaward reefs or in lagoons in areas of mixed sand, rubble and coral. Its diet consists of small benthic animals. M. ornatus is collected for the aquarium trade.
Halichoeres prosopeion, commonly called the twotone wrasse, half-grey wrasse or zig-zag wrasse, is a fish species in the wrasse family native to the western Pacific Ocean.
Halichoeres richmondi, commonly called the Richmond's wrasse or chain-lined wrasse, is a fish species in the wrasse family native from the central Indo-Pacific.
Latent sling-jaw wrasse is a species of ray-finned fish from the wrasse Family Labridae which is associated with reefs in the south-western Pacific Ocean.
Labropsis australis, the southern tubelip, is a species of marine ray-finned fish from the family Labridae, the wrasses. This species occurs in the south western Pacific Ocean from the Solomon Islands, Samoa, Vanuatu, Fiji, the Loyalty Islands, Tonga and the Great Barrier Reef. It is found in areas with heavy growth of corals including reefs, lagoons, passages and slopes. The adults feed on polyps in the coral while the juveniles feed on ectoparasites, and maybe mucus, on other reef fishes.
