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Ornate leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon ornatus) — Labridae

Ornate leopard wrasse

Macropharyngodon ornatus
Family: Labridae

The Ornate leopard wrasse (Macropharyngodon ornatus) is a saltwater fish of the family Labridae that grows up to 13 cm.

Length
13 cm
Water
Saltwater
Depth
2.0–30.0 m
Diet
Carnivore
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Stone or rock
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Commonly eaten

Description

The ornate leopard wrasse is a colourful wrasse (Labridae) from the eastern Indian Ocean, around Indonesia and Western Australia. The species grows to about 13 cm and has a body with a fine, leopard-like network of green and orange spots. As a reef-dweller it lives on coral- and rubble-strewn bottoms and eats small snails, shelled forams and other small invertebrate life. At night it buries itself in the sand. Like many wrasses it changes sex. The fish is harmless to humans.

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Ornate leopard wrasse?

The Ornate leopard wrasse has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly green and shows a spots pattern.

Where does the Ornate leopard wrasse live?

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

How big does the Ornate leopard wrasse get?

The Ornate leopard wrasse grows to a maximum of about 13 cm.

Is the Ornate leopard wrasse dangerous to humans?

No, the Ornate leopard wrasse is harmless to humans.

Is the Ornate leopard wrasse edible?

Yes, the Ornate leopard wrasse is commonly eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Sier-luipaardlipvis sourced
English name
Ornate leopard wrasse sourced
Scientific name
Macropharyngodon ornatus
Family
Labridae
Other names
False leopard wrasse; Ornate leopard wrasse; Ornate wrasse verified

Appearance

Size class
Small verified
Max length (cm)
13.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Green sourced
Pattern
Spots sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred

Habitat & distribution

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

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore inferred
Territorial
No inferred
Activity
Diurnal inferred
Reproduction
Protogynous (female first) sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes inferred

For anglers

Edibility
Commonly eaten inferred
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

Same genus Macropharyngodon

More from the family Labridae

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