Find a Fish
Pink-lined Wrasse
Coris dorsomacula Fowler, 1908
A Pink-lined Wrasse at a depth of 14m, North West Solitary Island, New South Wales, October 1995. View larger image.
A juvenile Pink-lined Wrasse at a depth of 16m, North West Solitary Island, January 2003. View larger image.
Adult Pink-lined Wrasse have narrow pale bars crossing the sides of the body. There are two pinkish stripes along the belly that break into blotches above the anal fin. On the caudal fin there is a boomerang-shaped red band. The cheek is crossed by two pink stripes and there is usually a spot on the operculum (glossary) that often has a yellow border posteriorly.
Juveniles have a simpler pattern that becomes more complex with growth. They have narrow pale bars on the side of the body and often a brownish stripe along the head and body. They usually have a yellow-bordered spot on the operculum.
This species grows to 22cm in length.
It occurs in tropical and temperate marine waters of the Western Pacific.
In Australia it is known from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland to the southern coast of New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Allen, G.R. 1997. Marine Fishes of Tropical Australia and South-east Asia. Western Australian Museum. Pp. 292.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2002. Fairy and Rainbow Wrasses and their Relatives. A Comprehensive Guide to Selected Labroids. TMC Publishing. Pp. 208.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
