Snakeskin Wrasse

Fascinating facts about the Snakeskin Wrasse

• Down on the rocky reefs off southern Australia, divers can spot a fish that darts just above the sand at a shallow angle, its head tipped upward like a tiny submarine. This little wrasse stays within the top 17 m (56 ft) of water, hugging the seabed where it can disappear in a flash. Its habit of swimming in short, upward-angled bursts makes it stand out from the more horizontal swimmers nearby.
• At a maximum standard length of 12.4 cm (4.9 in), this wrasse has a bold five-band pattern that slices across its sides, with the bands running obliquely and contrasting sharply with a pale belly and dark spots on its head.
• When the current eases, the fish often curls its slender body or lies on its side, lifting its head away from the bottom.
• This wrasse is the only known member of its genus, Eupetrichthys.
• The fish’s colour can be greyish, maroon, brownish, or dark green above, sharply divided from a lighter underside, and it has a consistent five-band layout.

At a glance

About the Snakeskin Wrasse

The snakeskin wrasse (Eupetrichthys angustipes) is a diminutive, sleek wrasse that inhabits the rocky reefs along southern Australia's coast, descending to depths of about 17 m (56 ft). Reaching a modest 12.4 cm (4.9 in) in standard length, it is the sole representative of its genus. Its body is a study in contrast: the dorsal surface may appear greyish, maroon, brownish or dark green, sharply divided from a pale ventral side. Five wide, oblique bands streak the flanks, while the head bears irregular dark spots. When it moves, the wrasse hovers just above the seabed, its head angled upward, executing short, darting bursts that create a distinctive nodding motion. At rest, it often curls its body or lies on its side, head lifted away from the substrate.

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