HomeMarine aquarium fishWrassesSling-jaw wrasse Sling-jaw wrasse (Epibulus insidiator) Scientific name: Epibulus insidiator Pallas, 1770 The Sling-jaw wrasse (Epibulus insidiator) is a marine fish of the family Labridae. Native range: Indo-Pacific, Red Sea to South Africa and the Hawaiian and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia. BiologyDorsal spines (total): 9 - 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9-11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. The mouth of this species is protrusible and unfolds into a tube easily half the body length. The jaws swing forward into a long tube that strong suction to catch prey. When not in use, the entire apparatus is conveniently folded under the head. Small juveniles are brown with thin white bars and closely resemble a species of Wetmorella. Color varies with age and sex, but adult color varies additional, including with an all-yellow xanthic form. Sub adults and females are brown or, not uncommonly, uniformly yellow. Terminal males are dark with a white head and a dark streak extending horizontally through the eye. Male becomes ornamented with orange and yellow over the back. Juveniles dark with fine vertical white lines. Intermediates with yellow blotches, pale tail and sometimes with black pectoral fins.Source: FishBase, licensed CC BY-NC 4.0. Species factsScientific nameEpibulus insidiatorFamilyLabridae (Wrasses)OrderPerciformes (Perch-like fish)ClassActinopterygii (Ray-finned fishes)Maximum length54.0Depth range1–42 m (3–138 ft)EnvironmentMarine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 42 mClimateTropicalDistributionIndo-Pacific: Red Sea to South Africa and the Hawaiian and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to New Caledonia.Conservation status (IUCN)Least Concern (LC)Threat to humansReports of ciguatera poisoningUsesFisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercialResilienceLow, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (Preliminary K or Fecundity.) More wrassesRingtail maori wrasseOxycheilinus unifasciatusHumphead wrasseCheilinus undulatusSeagrass wrasseNovaculoides macrolepidotusRockmover wrasseNovaculichthys taeniourusOriental maori wrasseOxycheilinus orientalisRedbreasted wrasseCheilinus 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