Scientific Name
Thalassoma amblycephalum

Common Name
Bluntheaded wrasse

Biology
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 10 - 11. Juveniles easily identified by the color pattern and rounded snout. Males become brightly colored and head usually green with a yellow band following on the body (Ref. 48636). Head naked, no scales dorsally on opercle. Initial phase with a broad blackish stripe from snout through eye to caudal-fin base (Ref 9823).

Classification

Classified By

Bleeker, 1856

Class

Ray-finned fishes (Actinopterygii)

Order

Perch-like fish (Perciformes)

Family

Wrasses (Labridae)

Distribution

Region

Indo-Pacific

Distribution

Indo-Pacific: Somalia (Ref. 30573) and South Africa (Ref. 4392) to the Line, Marquesan, and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to Rowley Shoals, northern New Zealand and Lord Howe and Rapa islands.

Range

30°N - 32°S

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

24 °C

Water Temperature To

28 °C

Depth From - meters

1 m

Depth To - meters

15 m

Zone

reef-associated

Environment

Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 15 m (Ref. 1602), usually 1 - 15 m (Ref. 27115)

Trophic Level

3.1 s.e. 0.27 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

True

Is kept in Aquariums

True

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

16.0 cm

Common Length

Unknown cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.5000 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercial

Vulnerability

Low to moderate vulnerability (32 of 100)

Resilience

Medium, minimum population doubling time 1.4 - 4.4 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.)

Threat To Humans

Harmless

IUCN Red List Status

Least Concern (LC)