Elegant Wrasse, Anampses elegans Ogilby 1889

Other Names: Elegans Wrasse

Summary:

The striking males are brownish above with an yellowish-orange mid lateral stripe separating the blue lower sides, a yellow spot on the gill cover, a yellow tail and dark stripes through the eyes. Females are light brown with a faint blue spot on each scale above the lateral line and about 7 indistinct golden stripes along the sides, dark stripes through the eyes, and a silvery chin.

Cite this page as:

Bray, D.J. 2022, Anampses elegans in Fishes of Australia, accessed 28 Nov 2022, https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/1218

Elegant Wrasse, Anampses elegans Ogilby 1889

More Info

Distribution	Broughton Island to southern New South Wales, especially around offshore islands; also the Lord Howe Province and Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea. The species is relatively widespread in sub-tropical to warm temperate waters of the Tasman Sea including northern New Zealand. Inhabits rocky and coral reefs, commonly around offshore reefs and islands. Juveniles may form small schools amongst algae in coastal bays and harbours.
Feeding	Feeds mainly on crustaceans, molluscs and polycheate worms.
Etymology	The specific name is from the Latin elegans (= elegant, fine), presumably in reference to the colourful males: "Mr. Saunders collected several specimens of this handsome Anampses".
Species Citation	Anampses elegans Ogilby 1889, Memoirs of the Australian Museum 2(3): 67. Type data: Lectotype AM I.1932, Lord Howe Island.
Author	Bray, D.J. 2022
Resources	Atlas of Living Australia Australian Faunal Directory Catalog of Fishes

Elegant Wrasse, Anampses elegans Ogilby 1889

References

Ayling, T. & Cox, G.J. 1982. Collins' guide to sea fishes of New Zealand. Collins, Auckland, New Zealand.

Choat, J.H., Ayling, A.M. & Schiel, D.R. 1988. Temporal and spatial variation in an island fish fauna. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 121: 91-111.

Choat, J.H., Pollard, D. & Myers, R. 2010. Anampses elegans. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.2. . Downloaded on 23 August 2014.

Coleman, N. 1981. Australian sea fishes north of 30° South. DoubleDay, Sydney, Australia.

Eddy, T.D. 2011. Recent observations of reef fishes at the Kermadec Islands marine reserve, New Zealand. N. Z. J. Mar. Freshwat. Res. 45(1): 153-159.

Francis, M.P. 1993. Checklist of the coastal fishes of Lord Howe, Norfolk, and Kermadec Islands, Southwest Pacific Ocean. Pac. Sci. 47(2): 136-170.

Francis, M.P., Grace, R.V. & Paulin, C.D. 1987. Coastal fishes of the Kermadec Islands. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Resources 21(1): 1-13.

Francis, M.P., C.J. Worthington, P. Saul & K.D. Clements. 1999. New and rare tropical and subtropical fishes from northern New Zealand. N.Z. J. Mar. Freshwat. Res. 33: 571-586.

Gill, A.C. & Reader, S.E. 1992. Reef biology : a survey of Elizabeth and Middleton Reefs, South Pacific. The Australian Museum, Sydney. Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service, Canberra.

Kuiter, R.H. 1993. Coastal fishes of south-eastern Australia. Crawford House Press Pty Ltd., Australia.

Kuiter, R.H. 2010. Labridae fishes: wrasses. Seaford, Victoria, Australia : Aquatic Photographics 398 pp.

Lieske, E & Myers, R.F. 1994. Collins Pocket Guide. Coral reef fishes. Indo-Pacific and Caribbean including the Red Sea. Harper Collins Publishers, New York, USA.

Ogilby, J.D. 1889. The reptiles and fishes of Lord Howe Island. Memoirs of the Australian Museum 2(3): 51-74 pls 2-3 https://doi.org/10.3853/j.0067-1967.2.1889.481

Parker, P.G. 1999. Fish assemblages at Julian Rocks and the adjacent waters of northern New South Wales, Australia. Australian Zoologist 31(1): 134-160.

Pogonoski, J.J., Pollard, D.A. & Paxton, J.R. 2002. Conservation overview and action plan for Australian threatened and potentially threatened marine and estuarine fishes. Environment Australia, Canberra, Australia.

Randall, J.E. 1972. A revision of the labrid fish genus Anampses. Micronesica 8(1-2): 151-190.

Randall, J.E. 1974. Notes and color illustrations of labrid fishes of the genus Anampses. Japanese Society of Ichthyology 21: 10-16.