Animal Species:Purple Wrasse, Notolabrus fucicola (Richardson, 1840)

The Purple Wrasse is greenish-blue, brown or purplish, usually with yellow blotches. It occurs on rocky reefs in temperate coastal waters.

Purple Wrasse, Notolabrus fucicola

Purple Wrasse, Notolabrus fucicola
Andrew King © Andrew King

Alternative Name/s

Banded Parrotfish, Blue Wrasse, Kelpie, Parrotfish, Purple Parrotfish, Saddled Wrasse, Southern Wrasse, Winter Bream, Yellow-saddled Wrasse

Identification

The Purple Wrasse is greenish-blue, brown or purplish with five yellow to white blotches along the upper sides.

Size range

The species grows to 45 cm in length.

Distribution

It occurs in temperate coastal waters of Australia and New Zealand. In Australia it is known from southern New South Wales and around the south of the country to eastern South Australia.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums. Click on the map for detailed information.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Notolabrus fucicola</

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Purple Wrasse specimens in the Australian Museum.

What does this mean?

Habitat

It is seen usually need on rocky reefs.

Classification

Species:
fucicola
Genus:
Notolabrus
Family:
Labridae
Order:
Perciformes
Class:
Actinopterygii
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Edgar, G.J. 1997. Australian Marine Life: the plants and animals of temperate waters. Reed Books. Pp. 544.
  2. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  3. Hutchins, B. & R. Swainston. 1986. Sea Fishes of Southern Australia. Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers. Swainston Publishing. Pp. 180.
  4. Kuiter, R.H. 2000. Coastal Fishes of South-eastern Australia. Gary Allen. Pp. 437.
  5. Russell, B.C & M.F. Gomon. in Gomon, M.F., Glover, C.J.M. & R.H. Kuiter (Eds). 1994. The Fishes of Australia's South Coast. State Print, Adelaide. Pp. 992.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags Fishes, Ichthyology, Purple Wrasse, Notolabrus fucicola, Labridae, blue, purple, yellow, green, black, deep-bodied, 30 cm - 1 m, blotched/mottled, rocky reef, marine, adult,