WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Blunt-headed Wrasse

Thalassoma amblycephalum

Also known as: Bluehead Wrasse, Blue-headed Wrasse, Blunthead Wrasse, Blunt-headed Wrasse, Lunate-tailed Wrasse, Moon Wrasse, Paddlefin Wrasse, Rainbow Wrasse, Twotone Wrasse

LCLeast ConcernIUCN Red List, 2010
Adult
@DamnRightRebelProud · United States · October 20121 / 12

Showing details for the adult stage. Switch stages to see how it differs.

01

Overview

Found in schools over reef flats of shallow lagoons and seaward reefs.

Most reef fish seen by divers during the day, are grazers, they cruise around, just above the surface of the coral, or snoop into crevices, foraging for food.
Wrasses have small protruding teeth, which they use to graze the bottom, taking in a variety of algae, crustaceans, such as crabs, eggs, shrimps, snails and worms. 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 crevices.

02

How to identify

Behaviour
schooling

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

Where the adult stage lives, and where its photos were taken.

  • Range · Indo-Pacific
  • Exact location · 1
  • Country only · 11
LIVES IN

Found in schools over reef flats of shallow lagoons and seaward reefs.

04

Adult photos 12

05

Discussion

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    ALL STAGES
    FOR THE MARINE-BIOLOGY CURIOUS

    Deep dive

    Taxonomy

    1. kingdomAnimalia
    2. phylumChordata
    3. classTeleostei
    4. orderEupercaria incertae sedis
    5. familyLabridae
    6. genusThalassoma
    7. speciesThalassoma amblycephalum (Bleeker, 1856)

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Wrasses (Labridae)