Reef fish

Bluehead wrasse

Thalassoma bifasciatum

Coral reefs, inshore bays, and seagrass beds

Photo: (c) Pauline Walsh Jacobson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Pauline Walsh Jacobson · CC-BY · Source and license. Displayed as a resized crop. Photograph illustrates the species.

Habitat: Coral reefs, inshore bays, and seagrass beds
Published depth range: 0–40 m
Viewing activities: Snorkeling · Scuba diving

What it eats

Small planktonic and bottom-dwelling animals; also removes parasites from other fish.

When to look

The available records do not establish a reliable local viewing season. Use the map’s month filter to inspect dated observations; it does not predict an encounter.

Learn more about this species

How a Bluehead Wrasse Takes Over—and Then Changes Sex

RECORDED PRESENCE

Where has Bluehead wrasse been recorded?

These destination links use the same area and date cutoff as the map: 40 km circles, except for the four named regional rectangles. Checked 2026-09-19. Counts describe source records, not individual animals or sighting odds.

Sources, search boundaries and limitations