Home · Labridae · Ring wrasse
Ring wrasse (Hologymnosus annulatus) — Labridae

Ring wrasse

Hologymnosus annulatus
Family: Labridae

The Ring wrasse (Hologymnosus annulatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 40 cm.

Length
40 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
8.0–40.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Asia: Australia, China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Christmas I., Cook Is., Fiji and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Want the complete picture on the Ring wrasse?

Get the app

Description

The ring wrasse is a wrasse (Labridae) from the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 40 cm and has an elongate body; juveniles are pale with narrow rings, while adult males turn dark green with a pale band behind the head. As a reef-dweller it swims actively over sand and rubble bottoms near reefs and hunts small fish and crustaceans. It changes sex. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Ring wrasse?

The Ring wrasse has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly green.

Where does the Ring wrasse live?

The Ring wrasse lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Asia: Australia, China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Christmas I., Cook Is., Fiji and others

How big does the Ring wrasse get?

The Ring wrasse grows to a maximum of about 40 cm. On average the species is around 34 cm.

Is the Ring wrasse dangerous to humans?

No, the Ring 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 Ring wrasse edible?

Yes, the Ring wrasse is commonly eaten.

More photos

Ring wrasse (Hologymnosus annulatus) — Labridae — 2
iNaturalist ((c) Pierre-Louis Stenger, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Ring wrasse (Hologymnosus annulatus) — Labridae — 3
Wikimedia Commons — Philippe Bourjon (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Ring wrasse (Hologymnosus annulatus) — Labridae — 4
Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová (CC BY 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Ring wrasse (Hologymnosus annulatus) — Labridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Ashton Williams, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Ring wrasse?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Ring wrasse is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Ring wrasse sourced
Scientific name
Hologymnosus annulatus
Family
Labridae
Other names
Ring wrasse; Ringwrasse; Narrow-banded rainbowfish; Ringed slender wrasse; Ringed wrasse; Wrasse verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
40.0 verified
Average length (cm)
34.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Green sourced
Tail shape
Crescent (lunate) inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
8.0 verified
Max depth (m)
40.0 verified
Natural range
Asia: Australia, China, Taiwan/Ch Taipei, Christmas I., Cook Is., Fiji and others sourced
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Diet (detail)
Small fishes, crustaceans and invertebrates inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred
Seasonality
Present year-round in its habitat; no pronounced seasonality known. inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
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 verified
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 Hologymnosus

More from the family Labridae

Fin

Want the complete picture on the Ring wrasse?

Point your camera at the fish and Fin names the species in seconds. Free, and the Ring wrasse is one of 12,519 species in the app.

Get the app →
Is this the Ring wrasse? Get the app