ExplorarPeces

Humphead wrasse

Cheilinus undulatus

The humphead wrasse is a colorful fish with a big, bumpy forehead. It swims in warm, tropical waters and loves to hide among coral reefs.

Hábitat: Coral reefs

Aspecto

The Humphead wrasse is a giant reef fish characterized by a prominent hump on its forehead, especially in males, and thick fleshy lips. Its scales are large, and colors range from greenish-brown to vibrant blue-green, often with two black lines behind each eye.

ReinoAnimaliaFiloChordataClaseActinopterygiiOrdenPerciformesFamiliaLabridaeGéneroCheilinus

Humphead wrasse

Categoría

Peces

Rareza

Common

Peligro

1/5 · Muy bajo

Snaps

¡Sé la primera persona en hacer un snap!

Datos interesantes

These smart fish have been observed using rocks to help them smash open shellfish.

They are the largest wrasse in the world, growing over two meters long!

They sleep in a mucous cocoon they build each night to hide their scent.

Young wrasse look very different from adults, with camouflaged stripes and spots.

Habilidades especiales

Humphead wrasse has a large, bony hump on its forehead that helps them ram and break apart corals to expose hidden prey.

Humphead wrasse can change sex from female to male when needed, which helps them maintain healthy breeding populations.

Humphead wrasse has a special immunity to toxins that lets them safely eat venomous prey like boxfish and sea urchins.

Medidas y detalles

Longitud: 100-230 cm
Peso: 50-190 kg
Esperanza de vida: 20-50 años
Velocidad de nado: 15 km/h
Profundidad máxima: 100 m
Tipo de agua: Agua salada

Dieta y alimentación

A mighty hunter that crunches on hard-shelled critters and venomous prey found on coral reefs.

Diferencias por edad: Juveniles eat smaller invertebrates; adults target larger, tougher prey like sea urchins and mollusks.

Alimentos principales

sea urchins
mollusks
crustaceans
small fish
boxfish
crown-of-thorns starfish

Método de búsqueda

Foraging

Conexiones ecológicas

eats

Long-spined sea urchin

Diadema setosum

Feeds on venomous urchins, helping control their populations.

eats

Crown-of-thorns starfish

Acanthaster planci

Preys on this destructive starfish, protecting corals.

eats

Giant clam

Tridacna gigas

Uses strong jaws to crack open and consume large clams.

eats

Boxfish

Ostracion cubicus

Immune to toxins, they can safely consume boxfish.

eaten by

Grey reef shark

Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos

Larger sharks occasionally prey on juvenile or sick Humphead wrasse.

Rasgos

Social

Los animales sociales viven en grupos organizados, cooperando para obtener beneficios de supervivencia como la búsqueda de alimento, la defensa y la cría de descendencia.