Rock Wrasse
Halichoeres semicinctus

Physical Description

• Long, slender bodied fish, with a pointed head, small mouth, and protruding teeth.
• Greenish brown coloring with brownish vertical bars.
• Distinguished from señorita because have no black spot in front of tail fin.
• Measures up to 15 inches long.
• Males have a large dark blue bar behind pectoral (side) fins, which are yellow.
• Juveniles have a white stripe down the middle of their side, and a small black dot on their dorsal (back) fin.

Range

• Point Conception, California to Guadalupe Island, Baja California, Mexico.
• Gulf of California, Mexico.

Habitat

• Lives in shallow water, like rocky shores.
• Prefers patches of coarse sand.
• Can be found in tide pools.

Reproduction

• Spawning occurs in the summer months.
• Reproduction occurs via group spawning events for smaller individuals.
• Some larger males attempt elaborate mating displays and pair spawning events, but are not always successful.

Diet

• Amphipods, small crabs, dove shells, and slipper shells.

Predators

• Natural predators of wrasse are larger fish, barracuda, and sharks.

Interesting Facts

• They all start their lives as females and once they are about 12 inches long, become male! 
• They sleep at night by burying themselves in the sand with only their heads sticking out. 

Sources: pierfishing.com; Fish Base; Ben Frable, Scripps Institution of Oceanography; Adreani and Allen 2008

Photo: Herb Gruenhagen