Canary Wrasse

Halichoeres chrysus is a small fish that can reach a maximum length of 12 cm. It has a thin, elongate body with a terminal mouth. Body coloration is bright yellow with a few variations according to age. Juveniles and immature females have two black spots rimmed with white or light yellow on the dorsal fin and a third one between the caudal peduncle and the caudal fin; in contrast, matures females or young males only show the two black spots on the dorsal fin. Mature males display only the first black spot in the front of the dorsal fin, a lighter-colored spot just behind the eye and irregular greenish to pinkish bars on the face.

Halichoeres chrysus is quite widespread throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the central Indo-Pacific, in an area bordered by the Christmas Islands and Indonesia, Japan, New South Wales and the Rowley Shoals, and Tonga and the Solomon Islands. This wrasse occurs on outside reef slopes, in rubble and sandy areas from surface down to a depth of 30 m.