Lord Howe Island Double-header Wrasse

Photo: Whylie Walton · © all rights reserved

Terminal-phase males of this Lord Howe endemic are among the most charismatic fish at Malabar Pinnacle, their large cephalic humps and brilliant blue-green flanks making them unmistakable as they methodically hunt invertebrates across the pinnacle's reef top. The species' restricted range, small total population, and dependence on intact reef structure make it a conservation flagship for Lord Howe Island's marine park.