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Luculentus Wrasse
Pseudolabrus luculentus (Richardson, 1848)
A Luculentus Wrasse at a depth of 6m, Halifax Sponge Gardens Marine Reserve, Port Stephens, New South Wales, January 2004. View larger image.
A 12cm long Luculentus Wrasse photographed in an aquarium. The fish was caught by T. Kelly at Middle Beach, Lord Howe Island, New South Wales, September 2001. View larger image.
The Luculentus Wrasse, like many species of wrasses, goes through different colour phases depending on life stage and gender.
Large males can be recognised by a series of black and white blotches along the base of the dorsal fin. Females have white stripes on the cheek and white spots on the lower half of the body but lack the blotches seen in males.
The Luculentus Wrasse in the image shows colour characteristic of both male (spots along the dorsal base) and female (white spots on the belly and stripes on the cheek). It is probably beginning to take on male colouration.
The Luculentus Wrasse grows to 25cm in length.
It is recorded from New Zealand and Australia. In Australia it is known from marine coastal waters of northern New South Wales to northern Victoria, but is much more common at Lord Howe Island.
View a map of the collecting localities of specimens in the Australian Museum Fish Collection.
Further reading
- Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
- 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.
- Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
- Russell, B.C. 1988. Revision of The Labrid Fish Genus Pseudolabrus and Allied Genera. Records of the Australian Museum. Supplement 9: 1-72, pl. 1-4.
