Humphead Wrasse - Ecology

Ecology

Adults are commonly found on steep coral reef slopes, channel slopes, and lagoon reefs in water 3 to 330 feet (1–100 m) deep. They are very opportunistic predators preying primarily on crustaceans, mollusks - particularly gastropods- fish, echinoderms. They are one of the few predators of toxic animals such as the sea hare Aplysia and boxfish Ostraciidae and have even been reported preying on crown-of-thorns starfish. This species actively selects branching hard and soft corals and seagrasses at settlement. Juveniles tend to prefer a more cryptic existence in areas of dense branching corals, bushy macroalgae or seagrasses, while larger individuals and adults prefer to occupy limited home ranges in more open habitat on the edges of reefs, channels, and reef passes. The species is most often observed in solitary male-female pairs, or groups of two to seven individuals.