# 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. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coral reefs - **Also known as:** Napoleon Wrasse ![Humphead wrasse](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Cheilinus_undulatus_-_R_Vasconcellos_-_582969181.jpeg&width=800) Photo: R Vasconcellos, CC BY 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Cheilinus_undulatus_-_R_Vasconcellos_-_582969181.jpeg) ## Appearance 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. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Actinopterygii - **Order:** Perciformes - **Family:** Labridae - **Genus:** Cheilinus ## Interesting facts - 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. ## Special abilities - **Hump Power:** Humphead wrasse has a large, bony hump on its forehead that helps them ram and break apart corals to expose hidden prey. - **Gender Bender:** Humphead wrasse can change sex from female to male when needed, which helps them maintain healthy breeding populations. - **Toxin Immunity:** Humphead wrasse has a special immunity to toxins that lets them safely eat venomous prey like boxfish and sea urchins. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 100-230 cm - **Weight:** 50-190 kg - **Lifespan:** 20-50 years - **Swim Speed:** 15 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 100 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding A mighty hunter that crunches on hard-shelled critters and venomous prey found on coral reefs. - **Age differences:** Juveniles eat smaller invertebrates; adults target larger, tougher prey like sea urchins and mollusks. - **Primary Foods:** sea urchins, mollusks, crustaceans, small fish, boxfish, crown-of-thorns starfish - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **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. ## Traits - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Giant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/giant): Giant describes organisms or objects of significantly larger size than average for their species or type. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch from a distance when observing fish in the ocean. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Humphead wrasse? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Humphead wrasse? 100-230 cm ### How much does Humphead wrasse weigh? 50-190 kg ### How long does Humphead wrasse live? 20-50 years ### What does Humphead wrasse eat? A mighty hunter that crunches on hard-shelled critters and venomous prey found on coral reefs. ### How fast can Humphead wrasse swim? 15 km/h ### Where is Humphead wrasse usually found? Coral reefs ### How does Humphead wrasse hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [London Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/london-aquarium) — England, GB · Aquarium ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Humphead wrasse: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/humphead-wrasse)