Category: Wrasse

Señorita

Wrasses: Family Labridae Species: Oxyjulis californica (Gunther, 1861); from the Greek words oxy (sharp, for sharp nosed fish) and julis (an old world genus of wrasses), and californica (from California, the location of the first fish studied). Alternate Names: Kelp fish, kelp wrasse, butterfish, iodine…

Rock Wrasse

Wrasses: Family Labridae Species: Halichoeres semicinctus (Ayres, 1859); from the Greek words hal (belonging to the sea) and choer (like a pig); and the Latin words semi (half) and cinct (banded, in reference to the color). Alternate Names: Wrasse, iodine fish and Parrot Fish. Called…

California Sheephead

  Adult male Sheephead caught at the Redondo Sportfishing Pier Wrasses: Family Labridae Species: Bodianus pulcher (Ayres, 1854); from the Latin pulcher (for beautiful). Sheephead were formerly known by the scientific name (1) Pimelometopon pulchrum; pimelometopon meaning fat forehead and (2) Semicossphus pulcher. Why the new…