Humphead wrasse

Crassilabrus undulatus · The humphead wrasse is the largest species of wrasse, living mainly on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific region.

Also called Napoleon wrasse, Maori wrasse, Napoleonfish, Giant Wrasse, Humphead.

Humphead wrasse
Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0
Humphead wrasse
Photo: R Vasconcellos, CC BY 4.0
Humphead wrasse
Photo: Thesupermat, CC BY-SA 4.0

Taxonomy

KingdomAnimalia
PhylumChordata
ClassActinopterygii
OrderLabriformes
FamilyLabridae
GenusCrassilabrus
SpeciesCrassilabrus undulatus

Where it lives

Coral reefs from the Red Sea and East Africa to the central Pacific.

Fun facts

  • Big males can reach up to 229 centimetres long and weigh up to 191 kilograms.
  • This fish cracks open sea urchins by carrying them to a rock in its mouth and smacking them against it with quick, sideways head movements.
  • It can eat toxic prey such as sea hares, boxfish and crown-of-thorns starfish.
  • To find prey hiding under the sand, it can blast water to push the sand aside and then nose around for a meal.

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Facts and taxonomy adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).