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Australian Wildlife

  Humphead Maori Wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus)





Humphead Maori Wrasse | Cheilinus undulatus photo
Humphead Maori Wrasse

Image by Trischa Baker - Some rights reserved.    (view image details)

Humphead Maori Wrasse | Cheilinus undulatus photo
Humphead Maori Wrasse

Image by LinĂ©1 - Some rights reserved.    (view image details)

Humphead Maori Wrasse | Cheilinus undulatus photo
Humphead Maori Wrasse

Image by Stan Shebs - Some rights reserved.    (view image details)







FISH FACTS

Description
Adult Humphead Maori Wrasse develop thick lips and a bulbous hump on the forehead. Juveniles are pale green with oval dark spots on the scales. There are two black lines running back from the eye. Usually solitary but may occur in pairs. Juveniles are found in coral-rich areas of lagoon reefs, with staghorn Acropora corals, also in algae reefs or seagrasses. Adults frequent reefs by day and rest in caves or under coral ledges at night.

Other Names
Humphead Wrasse

Size
length to 225cm. Weight to 190kg

Habitat
steep outer reef slopes, channel slopes, lagoon reefs

Food
mollusks, fish, sea urchins, crustaceans, and other invertebrates. Eats toxic animals such as sea hares, boxfish and crown-of-thorns starfish.

Range
Indo-Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa and east to New Caledonia.



Classification
Class:Actinopterygii
Order:Perciformes
Family:Labridae
Genus:Cheilinus
Species:undulatus
Common Name:Humphead Maori Wrasse

Relatives in same Genus
  Redbreasted Maori Wrasse (C. fasciatus)