Napoleon Wrasse

Photo: Mark Rosenstein · CC BY-NC

Napoleon wrasse at Manta Reef are large, curious individuals that have become accustomed to divers and will approach closely to investigate. These fish are sequential hermaphrodites, beginning life as females and transitioning to male as they grow, with the largest individuals here exceeding 1.5 metres. They play an important ecological role as apex reef predators that consume hard-shelled invertebrates including sea urchins, helping to maintain coral health across the reef system.