Name: Moon wrasse, crescent wrasse, lyretail wrasse
Scientific Name: Thalassoma lunare (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family: Labridae
Group: Bony fish
Class: Fish
Size: 11-25 cm.
The moon wrasse owes its name to the shape of its caudal fin, which is reminiscent of the crescent moon. As a juvenile, it has dark spots on its dorsal and caudal fins. In adulthood, these change to a green colour with purple spots, characteristic of the species. It is a very active fish, of tropical and protected waters, which lives in lagoons and reefs. Here, it feeds next to the bottom on small invertebrates and the eggs of other fishes.
Photo by:
Leonard Low (www.ozanimals.com)
Oceanário Location
Tropical Indian
