Common Name: Sixstripe Wrasse

Distribution: Uncommon in the Solitary Islands Marine Park. Distributed throughout the Indo-Pacific region: Red Sea south to South Africa, east to the Tuomoto Islands, north to the Ryuku Islands, south to Lord Howe and the Austral Islands. In Australia recorded from Exmouth and north eastern offshore islands and reefs in Western Australia, the Coral Sea and the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland south to northern New South Wales, and including Lord Howe Island.

Ecological Notes: Frequents seaward reefs and clear coastal waters, with dense coral habitat. Depth 1 – 35 m.

Additional Notes: Six yellow stripes on mauve/blue body with small ocellus on upper tail base and yellow tail. A small, secretive species usually hidden among corals and crevices in the reef. Feeds on small crustaceans. Grows to 10 cm.

References: R. Stuart-Smith, G. Edgar, A. Green, I. Shaw, Tropical Marine Fishes of Australia. Reed New Holland Publishers, 2015. p.329.

Atlas of Living Australia website at https://bie.ala.org.au/search?q=Pseudocheilinus+hexataenia. Accessed 04/07/18.

FishBase. Froese, R. and D. Pauly. Editors. 2018. World Wide Web electronic publication. https://fishbase.ca/summary/Pseudocheilinus-hexataenia.html. Accessed 04/07/18.