Common Name: Bluetail Wrasse
Distribution: Uncommon in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the subtropical Pacific from Easter Island to New Caledonia and Australia. In Australia recorded from Ashmore Reef in Western Australia, the northern Great Barrier Reef in Queensland, northern New South Wales and Lord Howe Island.
Ecological Notes: Frequents coral and rocky reef, juveniles sometimes in small groups. Depth to 30m.
Additional Notes: Named femininus because the female is more brightly coloured than the male (bottom photograph), which is infrequently seen. Females and immatures recognisable by the yellow head and forebody fading to a dark blue at rear, with electric blue lines. Juveniles often in small groups with other wrasses. Grows to 25 cm.
References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.285.
Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=anampses+femininus. Accessed 16/04/18.