HomeMarine aquarium fishWrassesDusky wrasse Dusky wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus) Scientific name: Halichoeres marginatus R?ppell, 1835 The Dusky wrasse (Halichoeres marginatus) is a marine fish of the family Labridae. BiologyInhabit lagoon and seaward reefs, along the upper edges of coral-rich areas. Benthopelagic. Juveniles are encountered in exposed outer reef flats. Feed on a wide variety of small invertebrates as well as fish eggs.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameHalichoeres marginatusFamilyLabridae (Wrasses)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length18.0Depth range0–30 m (0–98 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 mClimateTropicalDistributionIndo-Pacific: Red Sea south to Inhaca Island, Mozambique and east to the Hawaiian (1 specimen) and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and Austral Islands.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercialResilienceHigh, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (K=0.7) More wrassesPink-belly wrasseHalichoeres margaritaceusZigzag wrasseHalichoeres scapularisThreespot wrasseHalichoeres trimaculatusHartzfeld's wrasseHalichoeres hartzfeldiiRed-lined wrasseHalichoeres biocellatusBarred thicklipHemigymnus fasciatusSee all wrasses SourcesTaxonomy, distribution and biology data: FishBase (Froese, R. and D. Pauly, eds.), licensed CC BY-NC 4.0.Last updated 27 September 2026