Napoleon Wrasse deep in a midnight blue sea

Napoleon Wrasse deep in a midnight blue sea

Napoleon Wrasse peacefully resting deep off a steep reef slope, displaying its vibrantly coloured markings and its prominent bulbous forehead hump. Each Napoleon wrasse can be identified by its distinct natural markings. They are often sedentary and occupy the same stretch of reef for extended lengths of time, even becoming a 'resident' Napoleon Wrasse. They are generally solitary individuals, roving the reef by day and resting under coral ledges, on rocky seabeds or in caves at night. Overall, wrasse are a large and diverse family of fish, the majority of which are brightly coloured with intricately detailed markings. Although wrasse are typically small fish, there are a few exceptionally large members such as the Napoleon (or Humphead) Wrasse.

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Napoleon Wrasse Facts
Other names: Giant Wrasse, Maori Wrasse, Humphead Wrasse, Truck Wrasse, Undulate Wrasse
Scientific name: Cheilinus undulatus
Family: Labridae (Wrasses)
Max. size: 229 cm
Max age: 32 years
Depth: 1 - 100 metres
Diet: Invertebrates, mollusks, fishes, sea urchins, crustaceans, also sea hares, boxfishes and crown-of-thorns starfish.
Habitat: Steep outer reef slopes, reef drop-offs, reef tops, channel slopes, reef passes, lagoon reefs, also seagrass beds and mangrove areas
Distribution: Indo-Pacific: Western Indian Ocean and Red Sea to southern Japan, New Caledonia and into the central Pacific Ocean. Australia: North-western Australia and the Great Barrier Reef.
Conservation: Endangered species