Home · Labridae · Allen's wrasse
Allen's wrasse (Dotalabrus alleni) — Labridae

Allen's wrasse

Dotalabrus alleni
Family: Labridae

The Allen's wrasse (Dotalabrus alleni) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 8 cm.

Length
8.4 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
1.0–15.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like)
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless

Description

Allen's wrasse is a small wrasse (Labridae) from temperate coastal waters of Western Australia. The species grows to about 8 cm and has a stocky, brown-green body with fine pale spots. As a reef-dweller it lives among weed, seagrass and on shallow rocky reefs and picks small invertebrates from the growth. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Allen's wrasse?

The Allen's wrasse has an elongate, eel-like body and is mainly green.

Where does the Allen's wrasse live?

The Allen's wrasse lives in the sea (marine waters) and is mostly found around stony or rocky ground.

How big does the Allen's wrasse get?

The Allen's wrasse grows to a maximum of about 8 cm.

Is the Allen's wrasse dangerous to humans?

No, the Allen's wrasse is harmless to humans.

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →

All data

Identification

Dutch name
Allens lipvis sourced
English name
Allen's wrasse sourced
Scientific name
Dotalabrus alleni
Family
Labridae
Other names
Allen's wrasse; Little rainbow wrasse verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
8.4 verified
Body shape
Elongated (eel-like) sourced
Dominant colour
Green sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Saltwater sourced
Substrate
Stone or rock sourced
Min depth (m)
1.0 verified
Max depth (m)
15.0 verified
Origin
Native inferred

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Separate sexes inferred
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Fishing method
Klein van stuk en nauwelijks een hengelsportdoel; wordt vooral incidenteel of als aasvis gevangen. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless verified

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

More from the family Labridae

Download Fin's Fish Guide

Identify fish in seconds, log your catches and dives. Join the TestFlight beta.

Get the beta →