Common Name: Southern Maori Wrasse

Distribution: Abundant in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed around the southern half of Australia, from Perth in Western Australia to northern New South Wales.

Ecological Notes: Frequents coastal bays, offshore reefs and islands, often in kelp, sand and rubble areas. Depth from shallow to 60 m.

Additional Notes: Brick red upper body, with light mid stripe and blue scribbles on face. Juveniles very elongated, reddish brown on upper body, white stripe with reddish upper and lower margins from snout to tail, yellowish belly. Juveniles also with black spot at start of dorsal fin. Often follows divers and is quick to snatch food from sand stirred up by divers fins or from under slabs or rocks. Feeds on benthic invertebrates. Grows to 41 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.326.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=Ophthalmolepis+lineolata. Accessed 17/06/18.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://fishbase.ca/summary/Ophthalmolepis-lineolata.html. Accessed 17/06/18.