Common Name: Scribbled Wrasse

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-West Pacific region, Mauritius to Fiji, north to the Ryuku Islands, south to Tonga. In Australia recorded from southern Western Australia north to the Dampier Archipelago, the Great Barrier Reef south to central New South Wales and including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequents coral reefs often in weedy areas. Depth to at least 25m.

Additional Notes: Females and juveniles dark red brown, often with white mouth. Large ocelli on rear of dorsal and anal fins difficult to see unless the fins are extended. Males reddish brown with blue scribbles on head and front of body, scales with blue centres towards rear of body. Sometimes difficult to distinguish from male A. caeruleopunctatus and A. meleagrides. Feeds on benthic invertebrates, distinct pairing during breeding and is a pelagic spawner, the juveniles transported to subtropical zones during the pelagic stages. Grows to 22cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.286.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. http://www.fishbase.se/summary/Anampses-geographicus.html. Accessed 16/04/18.