Napoleonfish (Juvenile)

Scientific Name: Cheilinus Undulatus
Species: Wrasses (Labridae)
Other names: Maori and Thicklip Wrasses, Napoleon Wrasse, Undulate Wrasse, Giant Wrasse, Giant Maori Wrasse, Double-Headed Maori Wrasse, Humphead, Humphead Wrasse, Giant Humphead Wrasse, Humphead Maori Wrasse, Hump-Headed Maori Wrasse, Maori Wrasse, Truck Wrasse, Tapiro Wrasse.

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Description

Also called the Maori and Thicklip Wrasses, Napoleon Wrasse, Undulate Wrasse, Giant Wrasse, Giant Maori Wrasse, Double-Headed Maori Wrasse, Humphead, Humphead Wrasse, Giant Humphead Wrasse, Humphead Maori Wrasse, Hump-Headed Maori Wrasse, Maori Wrasse, Truck Wrasse and Tapiro Wrasse.

Found singly along walls corals and shipwrecks.
Small juveniles live in weedy areas and are rarely seen.
Teenage juveniles often in small groups.
They feed on hard shell invertebrates.
It is commonly known for literally attacking and eating Crown-of-Thorns Sea Stars.
Length - 2.3m
Depth - 10-100m
Widespread Indo-Pacific

This is the largest and most friendly of all the Wrasses, much appreciated by divers, as it is an impressively big fish that is very curious and easy to approach.
It has thick, fleshy lips and a hump that forms on its head above the eyes, becoming more prominent as the fish ages. This fish can also change sex from female to male. The factors that control the timing of sex change are not yet known.
The Humphead Wrasse is long lived, but has a very slow breeding rate. This has made it an endangered animal, as it is not being replaced fast enough to compensate for the fishing rate. Its flesh is highly demanded in eastern Asia, selling at over a hundred American dollars per kilogram.

Most reef fish seen by divers during the day are grazers, that cruise around just above the surface of the coral or snoop into crevices looking for algae, worms and small crustaceans.
Wrasses have small protruding teeth and graze the bottom taking in a variety of snails, worms, crabs, shrimps and eggs. Any hard coats or thick shells are then ground down by their pharyngeal jaws and the delicacies inside digested.
From juvenile to adult wrasses dramatically alter their colour and body shapes.
Wrasses are always on the go during the day, but are the first to go to bed and the last to rise.
Small wrasses dive below the sand to sleep and larger wrasses wedge themselves in crevasses.

Spotted

The Napoleonfish (Juvenile) is found in or near the Indo-Pacific region(s) and has been photographed 11 times by users @fishx6 @KitBrennan

Related creatures

Many creatures change during their life. Juvenile fish become adults and some change shape or their colour. Some species change sex and others just get older. The following creature(s) are known relatives of the Napoleonfish (Juvenile). Click the image(s) to explore further or hover over to get a better view!

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