Notolabrus parilus (Richardson, 1850)

Species Overview

Notolabrus parilus, commonly called the brownspotted wrasse, is a relatively large wrasse species. The maximum recorded standard length of adult specimens is 31.2 centimetres (12.3 in).

Male Coloration

Male brownspotted wrasses have a dark brown or greyish-brown base body color, with an interrupted horizontal white band that runs the full length of the body. Their scales also have gold or brown markings.

Female and Juvenile Coloration

Females and juveniles have a lighter brown base color than males, or may be greenish; they have white blotches on their scales, and grey and brown vertical barring across their bodies.

Taxonomic History

Notolabrus parilus was first formally described in 1850 by Scottish naturalist John Richardson (1787–1865), under the original name Tautoga parila. The type locality for the species was given as King George Sound in Western Australia.

Etymology

Its specific name parilus comes from the name that Aboriginal inhabitants of the Port George Sound area used for this species.

Distribution Range

The brownspotted wrasse is distributed along the Australian coastline from Shark Bay, Western Australia, around the southern coast of Australia as far east as southern Victoria. It is most abundant in Western Australia, particularly along the state’s southwestern coast.

Population Density by Region

It is less common in South Australia, and Victoria marks the edge of its range where the species is very rare.

Habitat Preferences

This wrasse occurs around rocky reefs that have seaweed growth, and it prefers sheltered, moderately exposed, or slightly more exposed locations. It is typically found at depths between 1 and 20 metres (3.3–65.6 ft), though it has been recorded at greater depths.

Juvenile Habitat

Juveniles are sometimes found living in seagrass beds.

Diet

The brownspotted wrasse is a carnivorous species that feeds on a variety of benthic invertebrates living in sandy substrates, seagrass, and seaweed. Its known prey includes gastropods, amphipods, isopods, prawns, crabs, and echinoids.

Reproductive Trait

This species is a protogynous hermaphrodite, meaning all individuals start life as female and switch sex to male at some point during their life cycle. The sex change occurs when the fish reaches a standard length of 175–200 millimetres (6.9–7.9 in).

Spawning Period

Spawning happens from late Australian winter to early Australian spring.

Egg and Larvae Characteristics

Eggs are laid in seagrass and reef habitats, and both eggs and larvae are pelagic.