Humphead Wrasse

I was recently at SeaWorld near the Atlantis ride area and stopped to watch their giant aquarium filled with reef fish. One fish in particular caught my daughter's eye. She thought it was the coolest-looking fish in the tank, so I snapped a couple of pictures and spent some time watching it. Before long, I had to agree. The tail, with its porcupine-like quills, was fantastic, and the red markings running throughout its turquoise body really caught my attention. I knew right then that this would be my next fish.

I was a little apprehensive about using a yellow backing, but decided to take a chance. It turned out beautifully, especially with the turquoise and green of the fish.

Humphead Wrasse aren't necessarily a fish the average ocean lover knows much about—and I think that's part of what makes them so interesting. I'm hoping to change that!

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• Scientific Name: Cheilinus undulatus

• Habitat: Coral reefs, reef slopes, channels, and lagoons
  Range: Indo-Pacific — from the Red Sea and East Africa across to French Polynesia; north to Japan and south to New Caledonia
  Typical Size: Around 2–3 feet is common; adults can become much larger
  Maximum Recorded Size: Up to about 7.5 feet and 420 pounds in historical records, although confirmed modern records are considerably smaller.
  Depth: Generally associated with reefs from shallow water to roughly 100 meters; adults are commonly found around 2–60 meters.
  Diet: Mollusks, fish, crustaceans, sea urchins, and other invertebrates. They are also known to prey on unusual toxic animals such as crown-of-thorns starfish and boxfish.
  Known For: Its enormous size, distinctive hump-shaped forehead, prominent lips, colorful blue-green coloration, and intricate facial/body markings.