HomeMarine aquarium fishWrassesSharpnose wrasse Sharpnose wrasse (Wetmorella nigropinnata) Scientific name: Wetmorella nigropinnata Seale, 1901 The Sharpnose wrasse (Wetmorella nigropinnata) is a marine fish of the family Labridae. Native range: Indo-Pacific, Red Sea to the Marquesan and Pitcairn islands, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8; Vertebrae: 23. Fresh specimens grayish brown to reddish brown, sometimes with dark narrow edges on scales on mid side of body. Light yellow bar on head behind and adjacent to eye; another on caudal peduncle; iris red and yellow. Juveniles (up to about 3.8 cm SL) have 2 broad pale bars on body. Spinous portions of dorsal and anal fins deeply incised. One predorsal bone.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameWetmorella nigropinnataFamilyLabridae (Wrasses)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length8.0Depth range1–30 m (3–98 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 30 mClimateTropicalDistributionIndo-Pacific: Red Sea to the Marquesan and Pitcairn islands, north to Ryukyu Islands, south to the southern Great Barrier Reef and New Caledonia.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansHarmlessUsesFisheries: of no interest; aquarium: commercialResilienceHigh, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More wrassesFinspot wrasseXenojulis margaritaceusMicronesian wrasseLabropsis micronesicaNorthern tubelipLabropsis manabeiYellowback tubelipLabropsis xanthonotaAllen's tubelipLabropsis alleniTwotone wrasseHalichoeres prosopeionSee 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