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Choat's Wrasse
Macropharyngodon choati Randall, 1978.
A juvenile Choat's Wrasse at a depth of 20m, North West Solitary Island, New South Wales, October 2000. View larger image.
Choat's Wrasse can be recognised by its distinctive colouration. Juveniles have a whitish body with large orange blotches. The pelvic fins and the elevated anterior portion of the dorsal fin are orange anteriorly and white behind.
As a fish grows, its colour pattern slowly changes. Adults have irregular rows of orange blotches on the body. On the operculum there is a black spot edged with yellow above and behind.
Choat's Wrasse grows to 11cm in length.
It is endemic to (only found in) Australia. It occurs from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Queensland south to the central coast of New South Wales.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1996. Guide to Sea Fishes of Australia. New Holland. Pp. 433.
- Randall, J.E., Allen, G.R. & R.C. Steene. 1997. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. Crawford House Press. Pp. 557.
