Napoleon wrasse
| Napoleon wrasse | ||||||||||||
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Napoleon wrasse ( Cheilinus undulatus ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Cheilinus undulatus | ||||||||||||
| Rüppell , 1835 |
The Napoleon wrasse ( Cheilinus undulatus ) lives in the coral reefs of the Red Sea and the tropical Indo-Pacific from South and East Africa to the Tuamotu Archipelago , north to the Ryūkyū Islands at depths of one to 100 meters.
features
With a maximum length of 2.30 meters, the Napoleon wrasse is by far the largest type of wrasse and, together with some species of grouper, one of the largest coral fish . The maximum weight is 191 kg. Usually it stays at a length of 60 centimeters, however, it becomes sexually mature at 35 centimeters in length. Younger Napoleon wrasses have extensive markings, depending on their age, which fade with age. Adult Napoleon wrasses have thick, puckered lips and a distinctive head hump. They are greenish, gray or bluish in color.
Fin formula : dorsal IX / 10, anal III / 8.
Way of life
The Napoleon wrasse tends to be a loner, active during the day and tied to a specific location. He sleeps among the corals at night. It feeds on fish, mollusks and crustaceans . It is one of the few predatory fish that can eat poisonous species. Man can easily approach it.
Danger
In the IUCN's red list , the total population is designated as endangered . In the medium term future there is a risk of this fish becoming extinct unless effective measures are taken to prevent overfishing. Most of the trade is done via Singapore and Hong Kong . For 1 kg of this fish, depending on the quality, 90-175 US dollars are paid. Large animals of this species weigh up to 200 kg.
Illegal trade is also known from Indonesia. The high price and the huge demand can no longer be reconciled with sustainable use.
literature
- Rudie H. Kuiter : Wrasse. Ulmer Verlag, Stuttgart 2002, ISBN 3-8001-3973-1
Web links
- Napoleon Wrasse on Fishbase.org (English)
- Cheilinus undulatus in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2013 Posted by: B. Russell, 2004. Accessed August 10, 2013.