Common Name: Variegated Wrasse

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific, East Africa to Marshall Islands, north to southern Japan, south to the Great Barrier Reef and Tonga. In Australia recorded from far northern Western Australia, the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea in Queensland south to northern New South Wales, and including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Inhabits clear seaward reefs to a depth of around 20 m.

Additional Notes: Adults with pinkish back and white belly, often with dark bands towards front of body. Adults also have a dark spot behind eye on the gill cover (operculum) and elongated black spot at the pectoral fin base. Juveniles with three ocelli on dorsal fin, the front and rear of which disappear with age. Diet is a variety of benthic organisms including worms, molluscs and small fish. Juvenile in the lower photograph. Grows to 18 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.302.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=coris+batuensis. Accessed 15/05/18.