Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised May 31, 2026

Seagrass wrasse

The seagrass wrasse is a species of wrasse native to the Indian and the western Pacific Oceans. It grows to 16 cm (6.3 in) in total length, and can be found in the aquarium trade.

Last revised
May 31, 2026
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Seagrass wrasse
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Labriformes
Family: Labridae
Subfamily: Xyrichtyinae
Genus: Novaculoides
Randall & Earle, 2004
Species:
N. macrolepidotus
Binomial name
Novaculoides macrolepidotus
(Bloch, 1791)
Synonyms2
  • Labrus macrolepidotus Bloch, 1791
  • Novaculichthys macrolepidotus (Bloch, 1791)
  • Labrus arago Quoy & Gaimard, 1824
  • Julis trimaculata Valenciennes, 1839
  • Novacula julioides Bleeker, 1851

The seagrass wrasse (Novaculoides macrolepidotus) is a species of wrasse native to the Indian and the western Pacific Oceans. It grows to 16 cm (6.3 in) in total length, and can be found in the aquarium trade.2

Habitat

The seagrass wrasse can be found in lagoons and mangrove forests in seagrass beds or on sandy areas with plentiful algal growth, and occurs at a depth of 0 to 10 m (33 ft).

Behavior

The juveniles and smaller adults of this wrasse are Batesian mimics of the venomous waspfish in the genus Ablabys. When threatened, this wrasse dives headfirst into the sea grass or sea weed beds that it inhabits.3

References

References

  1. Craig, M.; Rocha, L. & Liu, M. (2010). "Novaculichthys macrolepidotus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2010 e.T187763A8624473. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2010-4.RLTS.T187763A8624473.en. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
  2. Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.). "Novaculoides macrolepidotus". FishBase. August 2013 version.
  3. Bray, D.J. (2019). "Novaculoides macrolepidotus". Fishes of Australia. Museums Victoria. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
External links