Common Name: Eastern King Wrasse

Distribution: Common in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the South West Pacific region: Kermadec Island, Lord Howe and Norfolk Islands and New Zealand. In Australia recorded from northern New South Wales south to at least Ulladulla in southern New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Frequents coastal and offshore reefs near algae covered rocks, depth range 20 to 40 m.

Additional Notes: Usually seen singly. Adult male at top, intermediate phase shown at bottom photograph. Juveniles similar to Orangeline Wrasse, Halichoeres hartzfeldii, but have more solid yellow band and usually small black spot at caudal peduncle. Often shy and difficult to approach, feeds on small benthic invertebrates such as amphipods and gastropods. Grows to 45 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.306.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=coris+sandeyeri. Accessed 24/06/18.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://fishbase.ca/summary/Coris-sandeyeri.html. Accessed 23/05/18.