Caribbean Bluehead Wrasse
Thalassoma bifasciatum
These fish are sequential hermaphrodites; if the dominant blue-headed male dies, the largest female in the school can transform into a fully functional male within days.
- Scientific name
- Thalassoma bifasciatum
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Chordata › Actinopterygii › Labriformes › Labridae › Thalassoma
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- coral reef
- Habitat
- Coral reefs, seagrass beds, and shallow rocky inshore areas.
- Diet
- Zooplankton, small benthic invertebrates, and ectoparasites cleaned from larger fish.
- Range
- Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Florida Keys, Bahamas, Bermuda
- Size
- Up to 15 cm (6 inches) in length
- Lifespan
- 2-3 years
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Habitat loss due to coral reef degradation, ocean warming, and localized collection for the aquarium trade.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless. Snorkelers and divers can safely observe them from a distance of 1-2 meters. Avoid touching or feeding them, as this can damage their protective mucus layer and disrupt their natural behaviors.
The bluehead wrasse or blue-headed wrasse ( Thalassoma bifasciatum ) is a species of saltwater fish in the wrasse family (Labridae) of order Perciformes native to the coral reefs of the tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean. Individuals are small (less than 110 mm standard length) and rarely live longer than two years. They form large schools over the reef and are important cleaner fish in the reefs they inhabit.
Photo: Pauline Walsh Jacobson, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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