Common Name: Crimsonband Wrasse

Distribution: Abundant in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Endemic to eastern Australia: known only from southern Queensland, New South Wales and Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequents inshore and offshore regions, coral,rocky or weedy habitat. Depth to 40 m.

Additional Notes: Adult male with pale blue brown head, darkening towards the shoulder with bright red band towards the tail, white caudal peduncle and pale tail. Pectoral fins yellow, dorsal and anal fins bright red. Female and juvenile brownish red with prominent white spotting in rows on sides. Female and initial phase more commonly seen. Small juvenile (20 mm) in top photograph, female in middle with adult male in bottom photo. Feeds on small crustaceans, molluscs, worms and other invertebrates, juveniles often found in estuaries and protected bays. Grows to 40 cm.

References: Kuiter, R. H., Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Published by Crawford House Press Pty. Ltd., 1993. p.274.

R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.325.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=Notolabrus+gymnogenis. Accessed 16/06/18.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://fishbase.ca/summary/Notolabrus-gymnogenis.html. Accessed 16/06/18.