Quickies

Wrasse and a fish named “Wally”

Wrasses are perhaps the most diverse group of fish in terms of size and form. They are the second largest group of fish with over 500 species worldwide. They feed on a large variety of benthic (bottom dwelling) invertebrates such as crabs, shrimp, worms, clams and snails. Some wrasses have extremely powerful jaws and can crunch through thick shells to get to the meat within. They are active during the daytime, but retreat into crevices and under overhangs at night to sleep.

One of our commonly seen wrasse, “Wally”, the Humphead Maori Wrasse, is easily identified by his large forehead hump that grows larger as the fish gets older. This hump plays a very important role in helping the fish ‘hold its head up’. Since the jaws on a mature male are very heavy (so they can crush shells for food), the hump is filled with buoyant oil.

Maori Wrasse