Thalassoma hardwicke, Sixbar wrasse : fisheries, aquarium

Thalassoma hardwicke (Bennett, 1830)

Sixbar wrasse
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Thalassoma hardwicke   AquaMaps   Data sources: GBIF OBIS
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Image of Thalassoma hardwicke (Sixbar wrasse)
Thalassoma hardwicke
Picture by Du, J.-G.

Classification / Names Common names | Synonyms | Catalog of Fishes(genus, species) | ITIS | CoL | WoRMS | Cloffa

Teleostei (teleosts) > Eupercaria/misc (Various families in series Eupercaria) > Labridae (Wrasses) > Julidinae
Etymology: Thalassoma: Greek, thalassa = the sea + Greek, soma = body; the colour of the sea (Ref. 45335).
Eponymy: Major-General Thomas Hardwicke (1756–1835) served in the Bengal army of the Honourable East India Company. [...] (Ref. 128868), visit book page.

Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range Ecology

Marine; reef-associated; non-migratory; depth range 0 - 15 m (Ref. 2334), usually 0 - 15 m (Ref. 27115). Tropical; 24°C - 28°C (Ref. 27115); 30°N - 32°S

Distribution Territories | FAO areas | Ecosystems | Occurrences | Point map | Introductions | Faunafri

Indo-Pacific: East Africa to the Line and Tuamoto islands, north to southern Japan, south to the Lord Howe and Austral islands.

Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age

Maturity: Lm 8.5  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 25.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 129178); common length : 15.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 6113)

Short description Identification keys | Morphology | Morphometrics

Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 12 - 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 11. Color pattern remains similar with growth with terminal males becoming gaudier than primary males (Ref. 37816). Pale green with 6 dark bars, last two as saddles over the tail. Head with pink bands radiating from eye in large adults (Ref. 48636).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal; Cross section: compressed.

Biology     Glossary (e.g. epibenthic)

Occurs in shallow lagoon and seaward reefs, slopes and along drop-offs to moderate depths. Occurs in small, loose groups (Ref. 48636). Feeds on benthic and planktonic crustaceans, small fishes, and foraminiferans.

Life cycle and mating behavior Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae

Oviparous, distinct pairing during breeding (Ref. 205).

Main reference Upload your references | References | Coordinator : Westneat, Mark | Collaborators

Randall, J.E., G.R. Allen and R.C. Steene, 1990. Fishes of the Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu, Hawaii. 506 p. (Ref. 2334)

IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2025-2)

  Least Concern (LC) ; Date assessed: 12 June 2008

CITES

Not Evaluated

CMS (Ref. 116361)

Not Evaluated

Threat to humans

  Harmless





Human uses

Fisheries: minor commercial; aquarium: commercial
FAO - Publication: search | FishSource | Sea Around Us

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Internet sources

AFORO (otoliths) | Aquatic Commons | BHL | Cloffa | Websites from users | Check FishWatcher | CISTI | Catalog of Fishes: genus, species | DiscoverLife | DORIS | ECOTOX | FAO - Publication: search | Faunafri | Fishipedia | Fishtrace | GloBI | Google Books | Google Scholar | Google | IGFA World Record | National databases | OneZoom | Open Tree of Life | Otolith Atlas of Taiwan Fishes | Public aquariums | PubMed | Reef Life Survey | Socotra Atlas | TreeBase | Tree of Life | Wikipedia: Go, Search |