WHATSTHATFISH
Bony fish

Elegant Wrasse

Anampses elgans

Also known as: Sand-reef Wrasse

Adult
@dalovells · Lord Howe Island, Australia · November 20231 / 1
01

Overview

Found in small to large schools, over lagoons, coral and rocky 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

Fins & Tail
yellow tail
Behaviour
schooling

Tap any trait to see other fish that share it.

03

Habitat & where to find it

  • Range · Southwest Pacific
  • Country only · 1
LIVES IN

Found in small to large schools, over lagoons, coral and rocky reefs.

04

Adult photos 1

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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. genusAnampses
    7. speciesAnampses elgans Ogilby, 1889

    SourcesWoRMSFishBase

    06

    More in the family

    Wrasses (Labridae)