Sixbar wrasse
Thalassoma hardwicke
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Sixbar wrasse
- Scientific
- Thalassoma hardwicke
- Dhivehi
- ކާށި ހިކާKaashi hikaa
- Group
- Reef fish
- Family
- Labridae (wrasses)
- Maximum size
- Up to about 25 cm (total length); commonly 15 cm
- Depth and habitat
- Coral reefs and reef-associated habitats, recorded from 0 to 15 m (usually 0 to 15 m)
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2008
Description
A pale green wrasse with six dark bars on the back, the last two forming saddles near the tail, and pink bands radiating from the eye. It swims restlessly in small groups over shallow lagoons, slopes and drop-offs, feeding on crustaceans, small fish and other small animals.
In the Maldives
Dhivehi Wikipedia (MRS-derived) gives kaashi hikaa.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Thalassoma-hardwicke.html
- fishbase.se /comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=5643&GenusName=Thalassoma&SpeciesName
- dv.wikipedia.org /wiki/ކާށި_ހިކާ
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Sixbar_wrasse_(Thalassoma_hardwicke)_(46196858985).jpg
Dhivehi name source: FishBase common names (country: Maldives) give 'Kaashi hikaa' (Latin script). Thaana from the Dhivehi Wikipedia article 'ކާށި ހިކާ' (derived from the MRS 1997 Dhivehi edition); it matches the Latin form. FishBase also lists 'Galihikkae' under India (Minicoy/Lakshadweep Mahl dialect); not used.