This is Thalassoma trilobatum or Christmas wrasse
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This is the Christmas Wrasse. The scientific name is Thalassoma trilobatum and is in the family of Labridae.
It’s Hawaiian name is ‘Awela, which means ”hot”. These are one of the largest Hawaiian wrasses. They can grow to about 11 inches in length. They are named for their bright green and red color pattern. You can find them on the reef, and above the rocky bottom of the ocean. Here it feeds on crustaceans, molluscs, and brittle stars during the day.
There are 43 different wrasse species and about 13 of them are endemic/found only in Hawaii. They have an elongated body shape, with tapering at the head and the tail. They look almost torpedo shaped. They swim by flapping their pectoral/side fins up and down in a flying motion. The wrasse has thick lips covering their sharp front teeth.
Interestingly enough, the Christmas Wrasses are all born as females and will turn into males later in their lives. They are commonly referred to as sequential hermaphrodites. The males are typically larger than the females and have much brighter coloration than the females do.
The image above was taken during a Private Ocean Project Maui Snorkel Tour.
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