General Description

Body moderately deep, dorsal fin low, long-based, head bluntly rounded in males. Greenish to reddish-brown, with pale centres on scales and a broad dusky band on sides (females), or brownish to bluish-grey with a white band on sides and another on tail base, a pale head, a blue chin and yellow pectoral, pelvic and caudal fins (males). Maximum total length 50 cm.

Biology

The most common and abundant wrasse on rocky reefs in Victoria and Tasmania. Bluethroat Wrasse begin life as females and change sex to males at a length of about 20-25 cm. The drably-coloured juveniles and females are common in seagrass and algal habitats, while the brightly-coloured males roam large territories.

Distribution

South-eastern Australia.

Habitat

Algal-covered rocky reefs in bays and coastal waters, to depth of 160 m.

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