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Jansen's wrasse (Thalassoma jansenii) — Labridae

Jansen's wrasse

Thalassoma jansenii
Family: Labridae
LC · Least Concern

The Jansen's wrasse (Thalassoma jansenii) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–15.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Indo-West Pacific
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

Jansen's wrasse is a colourful wrasse from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 20 cm and has a striking black-and-white banded body with yellow accents, especially on the tail. It lives actively among coral and rubble on shallow reefs to about 15 metres depth. Like many wrasses it is a protogynous hermaphrodite: fish start as females and can later become males. It feeds on small crustaceans and other invertebrates. The IUCN assesses it as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Jansen's wrasse?

The Jansen's wrasse has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly black and shows a vertical stripes pattern. Black-and-white banded body with yellow accents; protogynous hermaphrodite

Where does the Jansen's wrasse live?

The Jansen's wrasse lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Indo-West Pacific

How big does the Jansen's wrasse get?

The Jansen's wrasse grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Jansen's wrasse dangerous to humans?

No, the Jansen's wrasse is harmless to humans. This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status.

Is the Jansen's wrasse edible?

The Jansen's wrasse is not usually eaten.

More photos

Jansen's wrasse (Thalassoma jansenii) — Labridae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Grant Bowler, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Jansen's wrasse (Thalassoma jansenii) — Labridae — 3
Aleksandr Gromov (CC BY 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Jansen's wrasse (Thalassoma jansenii) — Labridae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Egor Dyukarev, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Jansen's wrasse (Thalassoma jansenii) — Labridae — 5
Wikimedia Commons — Nanosanchez (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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All data

Identification

English name
Jansen's wrasse verified
Scientific name
Thalassoma jansenii
Family
Labridae
Other names
Jansen's wrasse; Parrotfish; Wrasse verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Black sourced
Pattern
Vertical bars sourced
Tail shape
Crescent (lunate) inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
15.0 verified
Natural range
Indo-West Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Social behaviour
Small groups sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
No sourced
Seasonality
Active shallow reef fish; present year-round. sourced
Special features
Black-and-white banded body with yellow accents; protogynous hermaphrodite sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Fishing with natural bait (fish, shrimp, worm) or lures close to reef and rock structures. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced
First aid
This species is harmless to humans. No specific first aid is needed. Still handle the fish with care: mind the fin rays and the sharp edges of the gill cover, and rinse any scratch with clean water and cover it. For a dirty or deep wound check tetanus status. verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Thalassoma

More from the family Labridae

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