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Five striped surge wrasse (Thalassoma quinquevittatum) — Labridae

Five striped surge wrasse

Thalassoma quinquevittatum
Family: Labridae
LC · Least Concern

The Five striped surge wrasse (Thalassoma quinquevittatum) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 17 cm.

Length
17 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
0.0–40.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Small groups
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The fivestripe wrasse is a wrasse (Labridae) from the Indo-Pacific. The species is handsomely green and pink coloured, with an intricate line pattern on the head and double pink bands over the body. It occurs on clear outer lagoon and seaward reefs and is abundant in shallow, surge-prone water. With its jaws it seeks small bottom animals such as crustaceans and worms. It is protogynous: females can change into males. The species is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Five striped surge wrasse?

The Five striped surge wrasse has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly green and shows a vertical stripes pattern.

Where does the Five striped surge wrasse live?

The Five striped surge wrasse lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Five striped surge wrasse get?

The Five striped surge wrasse grows to a maximum of about 17 cm.

Is the Five striped surge wrasse dangerous to humans?

No, the Five striped surge wrasse is harmless to humans.

Is the Five striped surge wrasse edible?

Yes, the Five striped surge wrasse is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Vijfstreep-lipvis sourced
English name
Five striped surge wrasse verified
Scientific name
Thalassoma quinquevittatum
Family
Labridae
Other names
Five-stripe surge wrasse; Fivestripe wrasse verified

Appearance

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

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
0.0 verified
Max depth (m)
40.0 verified
Origin
Native sourced

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Small groups inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten sourced
Fishing method
Vissen met natuurlijk aas (vis, garnaal, worm) of kunstaas dicht bij rif- en rotsstructuren. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

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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