Animal Species:Eastern King Wrasse, Coris sandeyeri (Hector, 1884)
The Eastern King Wrasse has very small scales and a distinctive colour pattern. It grows to about 45 cm in length and occurs from around Broughton Island, New South Wales to eastern Victoria.
Eastern King Wrasse, Coris sandeyeri
David and Leanne Atkinson
© David and Leanne Atkinson
Alternative Name/s
King Wrasse, Sandager's Wrasse
Identification
The Eastern King Wrasse has very small scales and a distinctive colour pattern. Like many wrasses (Family Labridae) the colour pattern changes with growth.
Size range
The Eastern King Wrasse grows to 45 cm in length.
Similar Species
The closely-related Western King Wrasse, Coris auricularis, is known from the Recherche Archipelago to Shark Bay, Western Australia. These two species can be separated by differences in colouration.
Distribution
The species is occurs from Broughton Island, New South Wales to eastern Victoria. It also occurs in Lord Howe Island and the Kermadec Islands, New Zealand.
Distribution by collection data
Biomaps map of Eastern King Wrasse specimens in the Australian Museum collection.
Habitat
It is usually seen at depths between 20 m and 40 m near weed-covered reefs.
Classification
- Species:
- sandeyeri
- Genus:
- Coris
- Family:
- Labridae
- Order:
- Perciformes
- Class:
- Actinopterygii
- Subphylum:
- Vertebrata
- Phylum:
- Chordata
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
References
- Gomon, M.F. & B.C. Russell in Gomon, M.F., C.J.M. Glover & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.
- Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
- Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal Fishes of South-Eastern Australia. Crawford House Press. Pp. 437.
Mark McGrouther
, Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:
Tags fishes, ichthyology, Eastern King Wrasse, Coris sandeyeri, Labridae,
