(Image credit: Erik Schlögl)

Known to inhabit waters from southern Queensland to Victoria and west to central coast of Western Australia. In Tasmania this species is usually associated with the Kent Group islands in the Bass Strait. Larger fish have bright blue tattoo markings around the eyes and face and it is these distinctive facial markings, likened to New Zealand Maori tattoos, that have resulted in the name for this wrasse. Females and juveniles have the appearance of three long, coloured stripes along the length of the body. These longitudinal stripes are red-brown at the top, a thin white stripe in the middle and a green belly stripe. The males have a greener colour on upper body and often have a black and white stripe running the length of their body.

AKA: Maori wrasse

Length: Up to 40 cm

Habitat

Exposed reef; 1-30 m depth

Log it

Log wherever it is spotted in Tasmanian waters

Related links/info

Species names on the Redmap site are based on the Codes for Australian Aquatic Biota or CAAB (http://www.cmar.csiro.au/caab/). This is updated regularly and lists the approved common name, family, species name and more.

Redmap species descriptions were based, with permission, on the following resources:

Australian Marine Life: The Plants and Animals of Temperate Waters by G. J. Edgar, Revised Ed. (2008) Reed Books, Melbourne

Fishes of Australia’s Southern Coast, Edited by M. Gomon. D. Bray and R. Kuiter (2008) Reed Books, Melbourne

Fishes of Tasmania by P. Last, E. Scott and F. Talbot (1983). Tasmanian Fisheries Development Authority, Hobart

Find further information and images at FISHES OF AUSTRALIA http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/