Common Name: Bluespotted Wrasse
Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Widespread tropical Indo-Pacific, north to southern Japan, Micronesia and to the Red Sea and East Africa. In Australia recorded from Western Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, including Lord Howe Island.
Ecological Notes: Frequent rocky and coral reef, from crest to slopes, adults often in the surge zone. Depth range to 30m.
Additional Notes: Juveniles and intermediate phase more likely to be seen in the Solitary Islands. Juvenile shown in top photograph approximately 20mm long. Small pale coloured juveniles characterised by unusual swimming pattern, head down with twisting motion. Juveniles feed on small crustaceans and polychaete worms. Intermediate phases, second and third photographs, and adults, bottom, feed on larger crustaceans and molluscs. Intermediate phase (second and third photograph) sometimes confused with male A. geographicus but A. caeruleopunctatus has blue scale centres in distinct horizontal rows. This species buries in the sand at night. Grows to 42cm.
References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.284.
FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.fishbase.se/summary/Anampses-caeruleopunctatus.html. Accessed 16/04/18.