If you are passionate about colorful reefs, you probably know the Napoleon fish! Also called giant wrasse or humpback wrasse (Cheilinus undulatus) it is an emblematic tropical reef fish and although on average it is 60 cm, it can reach up to 2.30 m long and weigh over 200 kg!
 Napoleon's cocked hat. | Napoleon, what a funny name ?! This labrum owes its name to its hump, which recalls Napoleon's cocked hat. Its scientific name, however, Cheilinus Undulatus, means "wavy lips" in reference to the full lips of this pretty fish. Long live the Emperor Napoleon! |
The wrasse lives mainly in the Indo-Pacific region, where it lives in the waters of 48 countries between 0 and 100 meters deep. This wrasse has an exceptional life expectancy: 25-30 years, and some individuals studied have even lived for fifty years!
The Napoleon fish is a Trans!
During its development, the giant wrasse will change sex. We then speak of successive hermaphroditism. All giant wrasses are born female and reach their sexual majority around the age of 7. Some individuals would then become males around their fifteenth year. Their appearance changes: they drop the red-orange of their scales for a more or less bright blue-green color, and their legendary bump develops and becomes more pronounced with age.
During its development, the giant wrasse will change sex. We then speak of successive hermaphroditism. All giant wrasses are born female and reach their sexual majority around the age of 7. Some individuals would then become males around their fifteenth year. Their appearance changes: they drop the red-orange of their scales for a more or less bright blue-green color, and their legendary bump develops and becomes more pronounced with age.
Male Napoléon fish
The humpback wrasse diet: defender of the coral reef...
Napoleon plays an important role in the ecosystem of coral species. Indeed, giant wrasses are one of the few animals that can feed on the purple acanthaster or Christ's crown (Acanthaster planci), an invasive starfish species whose diet consists almost exclusively of coral. It also feeds on mollusks, crustaceans and other poisonous species such as box fish or sea hares.
Napoleon plays an important role in the ecosystem of coral species. Indeed, giant wrasses are one of the few animals that can feed on the purple acanthaster or Christ's crown (Acanthaster planci), an invasive starfish species whose diet consists almost exclusively of coral. It also feeds on mollusks, crustaceans and other poisonous species such as box fish or sea hares.
However, the napoleon is in danger.
Now protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973), its population is estimated to have halved over the past 30 years. Its fishing is prohibited in many countries, but it is not always controllable, and this animal is still abundantly fished in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.
In addition to their pretty colors, giant wrasses have the misfortune of being very tasty and are considered a luxury treat in Hong Kong where some businessmen are willing to pay 2000 USD to wow the gallery by eating a pair of lips!
Now protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1973), its population is estimated to have halved over the past 30 years. Its fishing is prohibited in many countries, but it is not always controllable, and this animal is still abundantly fished in the Philippines, Indonesia and Thailand.
In addition to their pretty colors, giant wrasses have the misfortune of being very tasty and are considered a luxury treat in Hong Kong where some businessmen are willing to pay 2000 USD to wow the gallery by eating a pair of lips!
Please don't feed napoleons!
No more than other species for that matter ... Tourism poses a certain risk for the Napoleon wrasse population. At some tourist hot-spots, animals are baited by food thrown by boats, in other places, dive guides feed them hard-boiled eggs to amuse tourists.
The fish become dependent on these baits and no longer distrust boats or humans.
No more than other species for that matter ... Tourism poses a certain risk for the Napoleon wrasse population. At some tourist hot-spots, animals are baited by food thrown by boats, in other places, dive guides feed them hard-boiled eggs to amuse tourists.
The fish become dependent on these baits and no longer distrust boats or humans.
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