Saddle wrasse
A Hawaiian wrasse with striking color changes and cultural importance.
The saddle wrasse (Thalassoma duperrey), called Hīnālea Lauwili in Hawaiʻi, is a reef fish found only around the Hawaiian Islands and Johnston Island. It lives in coral-rich, rocky areas with plenty of crevices for hiding, from the intertidal zone down to about 70 feet deep. Adults reach up to 11.5 inches (29.21 cm) long. They are also sold in the aquarium trade.
Adults have a dark blue-green head, followed by a dull orange band that becomes brighter during spawning. The rest of the body is blue-green with many magenta arrow-shaped markings along the sides. Terminal males can show a white bar around the orange band, turning it on or off, and have a crescent-shaped tail fin. Juveniles are mostly whitish with a dark stripe from the top of the head to the tail. Smaller adults can shift back to this juvenile coloring to avoid being bothered by larger fish. At night, they sleep hidden in holes or burrows in sandy areas.
Saddle wrasses are carnivores that eat whatever is available. Juveniles act as cleaners, picking parasites off larger fish. As they grow, they scavenge for worms, mollusks, shrimp, and other crustaceans. They have canine teeth and special pharyngeal bones near their gills to crush shells.
In Hawaiʻi, Hīnālea were a staple food and a regular part of the diet. They were also used in ceremonies and as offerings to gods and goddesses. Fishermen (lawaiʻa) used a practice called melomelo, where charred, oiled club-like sticks were submerged to attract the fish. They also wove basket traps, called hīnaʻi hoʻoluʻuluʻu, from the vines of the endemic ʻāwikiwiki plant, weighted and dropped into the ocean to catch Hīnālea.
Quick Facts
- Taxon
- Thalassoma duperrey
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Adults of the saddle wrasse have a dark blue-green head followed by a dull orange band that intensifies during spawning seasons. The rest of the body is blue-green with numerous magenta arrows running down the sides. Terminal males typically have a white bar around the orange band that can be turned on or off, as well as a crescent-shaped tail fin. Juveniles tend to be more whitish with a dark stripe running from the top of the head to the tail. Smaller adults can revert to juvenile coloration to avoid harassment from larger fish.
Saddle wrasses are endemic to Hawaii and Johnston Atoll, where they are very common. They inhabit intertidal and shallow areas down to about 70 ft (21.34 m) of depth, preferring locations with corals, rocks, nooks, and crannies for hiding. These fish sleep hidden in holes or burrows in sandy areas.
As juveniles, saddle wrasses act as cleaners, picking parasites from larger fish or animals. As they mature, they scavenge for worms, shells, mollusks, shrimps, and other crustaceans. They have canine teeth and pharyngeal bones near their gills to help crush shells.
Reader's Guide
Hīnālea were integral to society and fishing communities in Hawaii as a staple food and regular item in the Hawaiian diet. They were also regularly used in ceremonies and offerings to Hawaiian gods and goddesses. Specific fishing practices included melomelo, where club-like sticks were charred and anointed in oil to attract hīnālea when submerged underwater. Fishermen, or lawai'a, wove baskets called hīnaʻi hoʻoluʻuluʻu out of vines of the endemic 'āwikiwiki plant, which were then weighted and dropped into the ocean to trap hīnālea. The saddle wrasse's ability to change color and its role as both a cleaner and a predator reflect its adaptability in Hawaiian reef ecosystems. Its presence in the aquarium trade also extends its recognition beyond its native range.
Did You Know?
- The saddle wrasse can reach up to 28 cm in total length.
- Terminal males can turn a white bar around the orange band on or off.
- Hawaiian fishermen used charred, oiled club-like sticks (melomelo) to attract them.
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