Home · Labridae · Speckled maori wrasse
Speckled maori wrasse (Oxycheilinus arenatus) — Labridae

Speckled maori wrasse

Oxycheilinus arenatus
Family: Labridae

The Speckled maori wrasse (Oxycheilinus arenatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 21 cm.

Length
21 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
11.0–90.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Oceania: American Samoa, French Polynesia, Guam, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan and others
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Want the complete picture on the Speckled maori wrasse?

Get the app

Description

The Speckled maori wrasse is a wrasse (Labridae) from reef water of the Indo-West Pacific. The species grows to about 18 cm and has an elongate, red-brown with fine pale speckles body that changes colour with age and sex. As a bottom-oriented fish it swims by day over coral and rocky reefs and picks small crustaceans, molluscs and worms. Like many wrasses a female can change sex. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Speckled maori wrasse?

The Speckled maori wrasse has a torpedo-shaped body and is mainly brown.

Where does the Speckled maori wrasse live?

The Speckled maori wrasse lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Oceania: American Samoa, French Polynesia, Guam, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan and others

How big does the Speckled maori wrasse get?

The Speckled maori wrasse grows to a maximum of about 21 cm.

Is the Speckled maori wrasse dangerous to humans?

No, the Speckled maori 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 Speckled maori wrasse edible?

Yes, the Speckled maori wrasse is commonly eaten.

More photos

Speckled maori wrasse (Oxycheilinus arenatus) — Labridae — 2
Williams, Jeffrey T. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Speckled maori wrasse (Oxycheilinus arenatus) — Labridae — 3
Randall, John E. (CC0 1.0) via GBIF — USNM
Speckled maori wrasse (Oxycheilinus arenatus) — Labridae — 4
iNaturalist ((c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Speckled maori wrasse (Oxycheilinus arenatus) — Labridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Bryan J, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Speckled maori wrasse?

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

Get the app →

All data

Identification

English name
Speckled maori wrasse sourced
Scientific name
Oxycheilinus arenatus
Family
Labridae
Other names
Arenatus wrasse; Blackstripe wrasse; Speckled maori wrasse; Thin-line maori wrasse verified

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
21.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Brown sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
11.0 verified
Max depth (m)
90.0 verified
Natural range
Oceania: American Samoa, French Polynesia, Guam, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan 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 Oxycheilinus

Celebes wrasse (Oxycheilinus celebicus) — Labridae
Celebes wrasse
Oxycheilinus celebicus
Labridae
 Mental wrasse (Oxycheilinus mentalis) — Labridae
Mental wrasse
Oxycheilinus mentalis
Labridae
 Oriental maori wrasse (Oxycheilinus orientalis) — Labridae
Oriental maori wrasse
Oxycheilinus orientalis
Labridae
 Ringtail maori wrasse (Oxycheilinus unifasciatus) — Labridae
Ringtail maori wrasse
Oxycheilinus unifasciatus
Labridae
 Comettailed wrasse (Oxycheilinus bimaculatus) — Labridae
Comettailed wrasse
Oxycheilinus bimaculatus
Labridae
 Bandcheek wrasse (Oxycheilinus digramma) — Labridae
Bandcheek wrasse
Oxycheilinus digramma
Labridae

More from the family Labridae

Eightline wrasse (Pseudocheilinus octotaenia) — Labridae
Eightline wrasse
Pseudocheilinus octotaenia
Labridae
 Blackbar hogfish (Bodianus speciosus) — Labridae
Blackbar hogfish
Bodianus speciosus
Labridae
 Allen's tubelip (Labropsis alleni) — Labridae
Allen's tubelip
Labropsis alleni
Labridae
 Allen's wrasse (Dotalabrus alleni) — Labridae
Allen's wrasse
Dotalabrus alleni
Labridae
 Anchor trunkfish (Choerodon anchorago) — Labridae
Anchor trunkfish
Choerodon anchorago
Labridae
 Argus wrasse (Halichoeres argus) — Labridae
Argus wrasse
Halichoeres argus
Labridae
 African coris (Coris atlantica) — Labridae
African coris
Coris atlantica
Labridae
 Comb wrasse (Coris picta) — Labridae
Comb wrasse
Coris picta
Labridae
Fin

Want the complete picture on the Speckled maori wrasse?

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

Get the app →
Is this the Speckled maori wrasse? Get the app