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Moon Wrasse

Thalassoma lunare

Published on Project Noah
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Field Notes

Description:

blue-bellied, green-backed with yellow tail and has a long body. This photo was taken during snorkeling (sea). We were feeding the fish and among the many damselfishes and some black fishes, this was the only fish that went with that group.

Juveniles are blue on the lower half of the body. They have a black spot in the middle of the dorsal fin and a black blotch on the caudal fin base. As they mature, the spot turns into a yellow crescent, hence the name. The body is green, with prominently marked scales. Coloration of the head ranges from blue to magenta, with a broken checkerboard pattern.

Habitat:

This species is a common sight in tropical waters, and is not considered to be endangered.

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (3)

Thanks Julio for breaking it down for me. It's a Moon Wrasse. Thanks again!
oh it's sea water.. my friends and I were snorkeling when we took this photo.. ill add it to my description above. thanks Ashish :-)
Hi..Cherrey.. Its need to mention sea water or sweet fresh water where you spotted these fishes.. It will help to identify Fish ID.
Photographed
PublishedNovember 19, 2011

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