Napoleon Wrasse

Photo: Debra Baker · CC BY

Napoleon wrasse, the largest reef fish in the Indo-Pacific, are habitually curious at Tutuba and will approach divers closely, their thick lips and fleshy humped forehead making them instantly recognizable. They prey on hard-shelled invertebrates including sea urchins, molluscs, and crustaceans that smaller fish cannot crack, occupying an ecological niche that controls populations of these invertebrates across the reef.