Moon wrasse
Thalassoma lunare
Valid name (FishBase; confirmed in Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes and WoRMS, October 2026).
- English
- Moon wrasse
- Scientific
- Thalassoma lunare
- Dhivehi
- Hikaa
- Group
- Reef fish
- Family
- Labridae (wrasses)
- Maximum size
- Up to about 45 cm (total length)
- Depth and habitat
- Coral reefs and reef-associated habitats, recorded from 1 to 20 m (usually 1 to 20 m)
- IUCN status
- LC · Least ConcernLeast Concern (LC), assessed 2008
Description
A bright green to blue wrasse with vertical red to purple lines on the body, pink and violet bands on the head and a yellow crescent in the tail. It is bold and active on the upper parts of reefs and ledges, feeding on small invertebrates and fish eggs, and often follows divers. Like many wrasses it starts life as a female and may change to a male.
In the Maldives
FishBase (Maldives) gives only the general name hikaa. One of the most conspicuous wrasses on Maldivian house reefs.
Sources
- fishbase.se /summary/Thalassoma-lunare.html
- fishbase.se /comnames/CommonNamesList.php?ID=5645&GenusName=Thalassoma&SpeciesName
- commons.wikimedia.org /wiki/File:Thalassoma_lunare.jpg
Dhivehi name source: FishBase common names (country: Maldives) give 'Hikaa' (Latin script). FishBase also lists 'Nagudiguhikkae' under India (Minicoy/Lakshadweep Mahl dialect); not used. FLAG: single source. FLAG: generic name for the group, not species-specific.