Wrasses

Wrasses are a diverse and colorful group of marine fish belonging to the family Labridae, found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide. Known for their vibrant hues and often elongated bodies, wrasses display a wide range of colors, from vivid blues, greens, and yellows to more muted browns and reds. They inhabit a variety of habitats, including coral reefs, rocky shores, and sandy bottoms. Wrasses are notable for their distinct behaviors and roles within marine ecosystems; they are active predators, feeding on small crustaceans, mollusks, and other invertebrates. Many wrasses also play important ecological roles in maintaining reef health by cleaning parasites from other fish or controlling populations of pest species like sea urchins. Some wrasse species undergo remarkable transformations during their lifetimes, changing colors and even sex in response to social cues or environmental factors.