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Twotone wrasse (Halichoeres prosopeion) — Labridae

Twotone wrasse

Halichoeres prosopeion
Family: Labridae
LC · Least Concern

The Twotone wrasse (Halichoeres prosopeion) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
2.0–40.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Range
Western Pacific
Edibility
Not eaten

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Description

The twotone wrasse is a small wrasse from the western Pacific, east to Samoa and Tonga. The species grows to about 13 cm; adults are bluish-grey on head and forebody and yellow towards the rear, with a black dorsal spot; juveniles have four black longitudinal stripes. It lives on coral-rich lagoon and outer reefs to about 40 metres and hunts small benthic invertebrates. Like other wrasses it is a protogynous hermaphrodite. The fish is harmless to humans and is assessed as Least Concern (LC) by the IUCN.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Twotone wrasse?

The Twotone wrasse has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly silver-grey and shows a plain pattern. Two-coloured body; protogynous hermaphrodite

Where does the Twotone wrasse live?

The Twotone wrasse lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground. Western Pacific

How big does the Twotone wrasse get?

The Twotone wrasse grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Twotone wrasse dangerous to humans?

No, the Twotone 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 Twotone wrasse edible?

The Twotone wrasse is not usually eaten.

More photos

Twotone wrasse (Halichoeres prosopeion) — Labridae — 2
Debra Baker (CC BY 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Twotone wrasse (Halichoeres prosopeion) — Labridae — 3
iNaturalist ((c) Robin Sidney Kraft, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC))
Twotone wrasse (Halichoeres prosopeion) — Labridae — 4
Debra Baker (CC BY 4.0) via GBIF — iNaturalist
Twotone wrasse (Halichoeres prosopeion) — Labridae — 5
iNaturalist ((c) Debra Baker, some rights reserved (CC BY))
Fin

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All data

Identification

English name
Twotone wrasse verified
Scientific name
Halichoeres prosopeion
Family
Labridae
Other names
Half-grey wrasse; Two-tone wrasse; Twotone wrasse; Zig-zag wrasse verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
13.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Silver / grey sourced
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Straight inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
Yes sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
2.0 verified
Max depth (m)
40.0 verified
Natural range
Western Pacific verified
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Diet (detail)
Small bottom-dwelling invertebrates inferred
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced
Seasonality
Reef-dwelling wrasse; protogynous hermaphrodite. sourced
Special features
Two-coloured body; protogynous hermaphrodite sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Not a target species for angling; at most an incidental catch or usable as baitfish. 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 Halichoeres

More from the family Labridae

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